Zinox Group, Africa's most integrated ICT firm and trail-blazing company in computer manufacturing in West Africa reputed for the first ever internationally certified Nigerian branded computers with the Naira keyboard as demonstrated its goodwill and appreciation to the members of staff by offering scholarships to the children of all staff who earn less than N1m as gross salary P/A under the Staff Children Scholarship Scheme.

The welfare package will cover up to three children of any staff in this category under this scheme through secondary school up to tertiary institution one of which would be trained in a private secondary school. The Staff Children Scholarship Scheme which is a further demonstration of the Zinox belief that only a commitment to the development of a knowledge economy can bring about the anticipated breakthrough in national development.

The gesture according to a statement from the company that has been preaching Digital Knowledge Democracy as a platform to harness her technological capacities for national development has taken the message home to its own staff.

Speaking at the 1st Zinox Group Staff Awards, an event that capped a week of strategizing at staff retreats, the Executive Director Marketing, Technology Distributions, Mrs. Chioma Chimere said that the Awards were instituted to motivate outstanding staff and enhance industry standards. Awards were won in the following categories – Long Service Award, Performance Merit Award and Staff of the Year Award.

Speaking to Tribe Times after the awards, the Group Chairman of Zinox Technologies, Leo S tan Ekeh, said that the emphasis on education is to reinforce his belief that only quality education available to all would lead this nation to greatness. The Chairman revealed that the Zinox Group would increase its CSR in the educational sector through the provision of more digital centers and IT laboratories in tertiary institutions in the six geopolitical zones in the country.

The ancient city of Benin was agog recently with a mix of education and cultural display at the twenty-fifth founders day celebration of Shaka Polytechnic, a foremost private technical institution in Edo State, South-South Nigeria.

The two day event which was held at the institution's campus in Ogiso quarters, off Muritala Muhammad Way, Benin witnessed a beehive of activities including various cultural displays and traditional dancing competition by the students from different ethnic groups which was won by the Uruoboh group, the Yoruba group finished as first runners up while Esan cultural group came third. The traditional dancing competition which held dignitaries at the event spell bound featured cultural performances like masquerade display, acrobatic dances and drumming. Other high points of the ceremony included; Mr and Miss Campus Beauty competition, which was witnessed by parents, members of staff and other dignitaries from within and outside the state.

There was also calisthenics, solo musical renditions as well as group performance by the school's mass choir. The Rector of the school Dr Shaka Momodu who commended the students went on to announce cash rewards and scholarships to some students who emerged winners in different categories of the event. Later in an exclusive interview with Tribe Times, the rector spoke on a range of issues on the institutions quest for academic excellence, the prospects and challenges of private institution proprietorship in Nigeria. He also bore his mind on 21st century education in Nigeria.

Watch out for full details of the interview in the hard copy of Tribe Times magazine or reach the editor on: 08023672168

By Hilary Damissah
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)'s gospel against corruption is fast gaining more ground as it is beginning to spread like the proverbial harmattan fire. With different groups keying into the government's anti-corruption battle especially in the wake of the fast approaching 2011 general elections, some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have decided to join the anti-corruption war by forming themselves into an Anti-Corruption Community Development Group.

On Friday 27th August, the youth corpers decided to stage a public demonstration to create more awareness on the ills of corruption in Nigeria as they marched along the busy Adeola Odeku Street, Victoria Island Lagos while carrying placards with various inscriptions like; “Stop Corruption Before It Stops Nigeria”, “Let's Kill Corruption Or It Will Kill Us”, “2011: Say No To Corrupt Politicians”.

Some of the corp members who spoke to Tribe Times crew said they decided to carry out the public awareness campaign in order to enlighten the general populace of the need not to sell their conscience by allowing their votes to be bought by corrupt politicians during next year's election as they sang songs of political liberation. A spoke person of the corpers who pleaded anonymity noted that the only way to change Nigeria is for a change in general attitude and for Nigerians to erase their age-long apathy to political leadership, adding that Nigeria will make giant stride in the comity of nations if the right incorruptible leaders are voted into power.

Since development is driven by advancement in science and technology, this situation no doubt puts the Nigerian economy in a retrogressive state technologically especially with the nation ‘s quest to attain the Millennium Development Goal's(MDG's) considering the role of science and technology as the bedrock of any economy.

Over time, different Nigerian governments have tried to bring the situation under control, but have recorded little or no success. This further emphasizes the reason Nigeria is still backward technologically despite being referred to as the giant of Africa. Over the years, stake holders have wondered what exactly is wrong that all attempts made at putting science and technology education on the road map to economic success keep on going down the drain. Some have blamed it on inconsistency on the part of those at the helm of affairs in terms of policy formulation and implementation while others see the failure as a child of the corrupt nature of our leaders.

Those that share in the view that inconsistency in the formulation and execution of policies is the impediment to the success of science and technology education believe in this stance on the ground that when a new administration assumes power all they do is to jettison the policies of the previous administration.

However, the problem might be having a possibility of seeing a solution as the present leadership of the federal ministry of education is working to uphold some of the policies of the immediate past leadership of the ministry. Some have attributed this continuity to the fact that the present minister of education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai was a member of the committee set up by the former minister of education Dr Sam Egwu to draw the road map which she is presently working with.

In order to take the Bull by the horn, the federal government through the Universal Basic Education Commission expended 711 million naira in the procurement of science kits which were distributed to Junior Secondary Schools across the country recently. In the year 2009,the sum of 709 million naira was similarly spent in the procurement of 2,331 kits that were distributed in Sokoto to the 36 states and the federal capital territory FCT.

At the flag-off of the distribution the kits in Lagos, the professor Ruqayyatu emphasized the commitment of the present administration under the leadership of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in repositioning science and technology education in Nigeria.

She pointed out that the belief of the federal government is that making provision for the kits at the basic level will further enhance the study and teaching of science and technology. She added that it will also prepare the children for their academic pursuit as well as provide the personnel needed for technological development of Nigeria which is a pre-requisite for attaining vision 2020.

In her words, “It is the belief of this administration that making these kits available in our schools will give proper footing to teaching and learning science and prepare our children for their academic pursuit. It is also in the long run to provide personnel needed for the technological development and advancement in Nigeria, a pre- requisite for us to actualize the vision 202020”.

The minister also pointed out that the provision of the kits is also accompanied with a staff building capacity training to enlighten the teachers of science and technology, so that they can appreciate the nuances of the pieces of equipments. She also enjoined state governments to emulate the federal government so that the kits can get to every part of the country.

Professor Rufai revealed that in 2009, the federal government approved 10 percent of the UBEC fund being expended.

While pointing out that no nation can attain development without science and technology education, Professor Ahmed noted that the federal government will at no point in time abandon technical and vocational education.
With the above development, it is obvious that the Federal government is making frantic efforts to revitalize the science and technology sector in the country.