Fafunwa Foundation to reward educational excellence

The Academic Committee and Board of Trustees (BoT) of Fafunwa Educational Foundation (FEF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), have concluded arrangements for the 2015 Post-doctoral and Best Practice in Education award.

The award ceremony, which will be chaired by former Education Minister, Mr. Ibrahim Shekarau, is part of activities to mark the 2015 FEF Yearly Lecture Series scheduled for Thursday, October 8, 2015, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos.

The lecture themed, “The Dynamics of Higher Education and Graduate Employability in Nigeria,” will feature professor of Educational Management, University of Ibadan, Joel Babalola and Chairman, Zinox Group, Mr. Leo Stan Ekeh, as guest speakers.

Award chairman and member of FEF BoT, Prof. Peter Okebukola, who briefed journalists in Lagos on activities lined up, said the overall aim of instituting the award was to reward excellence in the field of education.

He said the award ceremony is usually preceded with a post-doctoral seminar by the winners, on their dissertations, before the presentation of the award on the FEF lecture day.

This year’s seminar however, will hold at the Faculty of Education Auditorium, University of Lagos, on Wednesday October 7, 2015. The post-doctoral candidates were selected from faculties of education of 10 universities.

On the selection procedure, he said, “Each faculty of education would send its best Ph.D thesis to the foundation, if there is one for the year under consideration. The academic committee of the foundation then selects the best three theses from these universities. Each recipient will give a 15-minute oral presentation on the highlights of his or her award winning thesis under the auspices of his or her faculty.”

Prizes for the award includes N250, 000 for first position; N150, 000 for second position and N100, 000 for third.

On the best practice in education award, he said, “Promotion of excellence practice in key sectors of the Nigerian education industry is the major objective of the award. The award is therefore aimed among other objectives to reward, honour and appreciate states with best policies and excellence performances towards educational advancement of their respective states.

“So, the board of the foundation at its meeting in February 2014, authorised that states with the highest percentage budgetary allocation to education; best performance in West African Senior School Certificate Examination (May/June and best welfare policy for teachers be recognised and appreciated. This as generally believed will encourage other states to rise to the challenge,” he added.