Council pledges to reinvigorate NMC programmes

THE newly reconstituted governing council of the National Mathematical Centre has pledged to reinvigorate programmes of the centre so as to encourage the study of mathematical sciences in line with the dreams and aspirations of its founding fathers.

Stakeholders have expressed concerns that NMC had derailed, especially under the immediate past director-general, Professor Stephen Onah, when the centre was said to have lost focus and steam to realise the mandate of demystifying the study of Mathematics in the country.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, had while inaugurating the recently constituted governing council of the centre, alluded to this when he told the chairman of the council, Professor James Oguntuase, to ensure that NMC plays its role in simplifying the study of Mathematics in Nigeria.

Adamu said: “People still fear Mathematics and I hope that this new council should support the efforts in addressing this.”

Professor James Oguntuase, speaking at the maiden meeting of the sixth council at its permanent site in Sheda, Kwali Abuja, re-echoed the minister’s directive to the members as to the mandate of the council.

He noted that in the past, the centre had organised Foundation Post Graduate Courses (FPC) and Research Oriented Courses (ROC) for post graduate students and other academics in the university system to improve their capacity to get involved in high level research, teaching and learning.

He said such programmes had prepared and positioned them to become specialists in their respective fields in the future.

The council chairman recalled how in those days a critical mass of researchers used to gather at the centre for research activities which were meant to improve the quality of education especially in the mathematical sciences.

Oguntuase, also pledged to ensure that the funding of the centre’s programmes by Tertiary Education Trust (TETFund) that had been stopped was restored to make NMC a centre of excellence befitting of its status.

He further stated the preparedness of the council to ensure staff welfare especially in the aspect of timely promotion.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state.