Update: See the newly approved Privates by Federal Government

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved eight new private universities with three-year provisional licenses, as well as appointing federal universities as mentors.

This brings the number of private universities in the country to 69 and the total number of universities (public and private) to 151.

Addressing State House correspondents, Minister of State for Education, Professor Anthony Anwuka, said the FEC meeting, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, approved the universities on the recommendation of the National Universities Commission (NUC) on their compliance with the very strict conditions necessary for approval.

According to him, the approval was to ensure that the teeming population of Nigerian students seeking admission into universities are given the opportunity to do so. 

The approved universities are

1.) Anchor University, Ayobo, Lagos (promoted by the Deeper Christian Life Ministry,to be mentored by University of Lagos).

2.) Arthur Jarvis University, Akpabuyo, Cross River State (promoted by The Clitter House Nigeria Limited, to be mentored by University of Calabar).

3.) Clifford University, Owerrinta, Abia State (promoted by the Seventh Day Adventist Church, to be mentored by University of Agriculture, Umudike, Umuahia).

4.) Coal City University, Enugu (promoted by African Thinkers Community of Inquiry College of Education, Enugu – to be mentored by University of Nigeria, Nsukka).

5.) Crown-Hill University, Eiyenkorin, Kwara (promoted by Modern Morgy and Sons Limited, to be mentored by a University of Ilorin).

6.) Dominican University, Ibadan (promoted by the Order of Preachers, Nigerian Dominican Community).

7.) Kola Daisi University, Ibadan (promoted by Kola Daisi Foundation, to be mentored by University of Ibadan).

8.) Legacy University, Okija, Anambra State (promoted by the Good Idea Education Foundation, to be mentored by Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Akwa).

Explaining why mentors were appointed for the new universities, Anwuka said mentoring was part of the requirement as contained in the Education Act Cap E3 Law of Federal Republic of Education 2004 implemented by the NUC and the Federal Ministry of Education.

“It is the part of the requirements. An older university within the university zone where each of the new universities has been approved is given the mandate to oversee and mentor the new universities in terms of academic and administrative culture for three years within which period they must have learnt the art of university governance and academic details.”

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, throwing more light on the issue of mentoring, said, “the law is very specific on exactly what is required. I think the first is that each of the mentoring universities would, among other issues, ensure that the correct appointment of the governing council is made; that they recruit appropriate principal officers both academic and administrative; that there would be availability of human and material resources for the commencement of any academic performance.

“They also have the responsibility to ensure implementation of carrying capacity. They must also assist in staff development. They must also modulate students’ examination; must guarantee quality assurances of the university. They also have responsibility to moderate admission and also moderate external examination even the older universities were also mentored by universities abroad.

“But we believe that by today, we have reached the situation whereby our own universities are capable of mentoring the universities,” Mohammed said.

OXFORD ADDED NEW WORDS TO ENGLISH DICTIONARY

UPDATE: New Words, Phrases, and Senses Have Been Officially Added to English Dictionary.

According to update released by world most used English Dictionary: Oxford, stated that "Around 500 new words, phrases, and senses have entered the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)  in this (June) quarter’s update." the added words are: twerk, carnap, FLOTUS and scores of other new entries, including many introduced from Asia and from online slang, to its latest edition.
OED Editor, Danica Salazar, said in London that the word twerk, a dance popularised by music stars and Internet memes, actually
dated back about 200 years as a combination of twist and jerk first spelled as “twirk.’’

He said the use of "twerk" to describe a type of dance, which emphasises the performer’s posterior, has its roots in the early 1990s in the New Orleans ‘bounce’ music scene. Salazar said the word itself seems to originate from more than 170 years before that.

“Joining twerk in the updated online OED is the acronym FLOTUS, or First Lady of the United State. “A term that the First Lady, Michelle Obama, felt obliged to explain to London schoolgirls last week when she mentioned her FLOTUS Twitter handle,’’ he said.

The editor said Philippine word carnap, meaning to “kidnap,” or steal, a car,
originated in the mid-20th century in the U.S. but was no longer used there.

Here are some of the New dictionary entries:
Cisgender - designating a person whose sense of
personal identity matches their gender at birth

Guerrilla - describing activities carried out in an
irregular and spontaneous way

Gimmick - to mean "a night out with friends".

Twitterati - describing users of the social media
service Twitter

Fo' shizzle - meaning "for sure".

"Meh", an interjection expressing lack of enthusiasm, has also been included in the Oxford English Dictionary.
The word is believed to have been first used in 1992, before being popularised by cult TV
cartoon The Simpsons.

The Oxford English Dictionary records the meaning and development of the English
language. Mind you, For a word to qualify, it must have been in
popular use for at least 10 years in both novels
and newspapers.

> autotune, v.

>autotuned, adj.

> biomethane, n.

> Blu-ray, n.
> crowdfund, v.
> crowdfunded, adj.
> crowdfunding, n.
> cyclogenesis, n.
deep web
e-cig, n.
e-cigarette, n.
ecotown, n.
Enviropig, n.
e-skin, n.
forensic science, n.
forensics, n.
freegan, adj. and n.
H2O, n.
hyperlocal, adj.
Internaut, n.
Interweb, n.
JavaScript, n.
kryptonite, n.
nanosized, adj.
netbook, n.2
on-trend, adj. and adv.
pageview, n.
pharmacovigilance, n.
photobomb, n.
photobomb, v.
photobomber, n.
photobombing, n.
retweet, n.
retweet, v.
retweeting, n.
sext, n.2
sext, v.
sexting, n.
SD card
system disk
system file
tenderpreneur, n.
tweeting, n.
thumb drive
twitterati, n.
vape, v.
vaper, n.
vaping, n.

.Below are the full list of internet-related words added to the dictionary:
Internet address
Internet banking
Internet browser
Internet chat room
Internet connectivity
Internet filtering
Internet forum
Internet gateway
Internet kiosk
Internet of things
Internet radio
Internet search
Internet shopping
Internet startup
Internet traffic
Internet worm
Internet-capable
Internet-enabled
Internet-ready

“Many additions refer to “specific elements of
Philippine culture, such as greetings and terms
of address. “The boundless optimism of Filipinos
and their unshakeable belief that things will work
out in their favour in the end is reflected in the
phrase bahala na.”
Salazar said several other new entries are from
South Asia and South-east Asia, where several
hundred million people use.

Get the full list of new officially recognised words can be found over at the Oxford English Dictionary ,where all good words go to thrive. Why not find one you don't know and try using it in a sentence today.

APPROVED UNIVERSITIES FOR MASTERS' AND PhD AWARD

Do you want to further your Study after 1st Degree, Masters? PhD? Beware!

The National Universities Commission has warned that only 58 of the universities in Nigeria have approval to run postgraduate programmes Only fifty-eight(58) Nigerian universities have approved post-graduate programmes according to a list recently » published the National Universities Commission (NUC) in its bulletin.

According to the NUC, it is concerned that some universities are running illegal postgraduate
programmes. "The National Universities Commission (NUC) has observed with great concern that some Nigerian universities are running unapproved postgraduate programmes, leading to the award
of Masters and PhD degrees.

"The Commission has also observed that some Parastatals and Institutes are awarding these same Postgraduate degrees, either on their own or through unapproved affiliations with Nigerian
and foreign Universities. Such practices are not only unethical, but also antithetical to time-
tested quality assurance best practices."

It warned that "qualifications/­awards resulting therefrom are not recognized."
Here are the universities that have approval » to offer postgraduate programmes at the
Masters’ and Ph.D levels in Nigeria:

FEDERAL UNIVERSITIES:
1. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi
2. Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
3. Bayero University, Kano
4. Federal University of Technology, Akure
5. Federal University of Technology, Minna
6. Federal University of Technology, Owerri
7. Michael Okpara University of Agriculture,
Umudike
8. Modibbo Adama University of Technology,
Yola
9. National Open University of Nigeria, Lagos.

0. Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna
1. Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
2. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
3. University of Abuja, Gwagwalada
4. University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
5. University of Agriculture, Makurdi
6. University of Benin, Benin City
7. University of Calabar, Calabar
8. University of Ibadan, Ibadan
9. University of llorin, llorin
0. University of Jos, Jos
1. University of Lagos, Akoka
2. University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri
3. University of Nigeria, Nsukka
4. University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt
5. University of Uyo, Uyo
6. Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto


STATE UNIVERSITIES:
1. Abia State University, Uturu
2. Adamawa State University, Mubi
3. Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko
4. Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma
5. Anambra State University, Uli
6. Benue State University, Makurdi
7. Cross River University of Technology, Calabar
8. Delta State University, Abraka
9. Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki
0. Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti
1. Enugu State University of Science and
Technology, Enugu
2. Imo State University, Owerri
3. Kogi State University, Anyigba
4. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology,
Ogbomoso
5. Lagos State University, Ojo.
6. Nasarawa State University, Keffi
7. Niger-Delta University, Wilberforce Island
8. Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye
9. Rivers State University of Science and
Technology, Port Harcourt
0. Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University, Katsina
1. Gombe State University, Gombe

PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES:
1. African University of Science and Technology,
Abuja
2. American University of Nigeria, Yola
3. Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo
4. Benson Idahosa University, Benin City
5. Bowen University, Iwo
6. Covenant University, Ota
7. Igbinedion University, Okada
8. Pan-African University, Lekki
9. Redeemer’s University, Mowe, Ogun State
0. Caleb University, Lagos
1. Joseph Ayo Babalola University, Ikeji-Arakeji,
Osun State

The NUC added that only postgraduate certificates from the listed universities are "valid
for employment, further studies and other purposes."

Seven (7) Steps to make sure you phone is Secure

Seven (7) Steps to make sure you phone is Secure

The phrase, ‘to keep the world in your pocket’ has been made literally true with the invention of smartphones. Your smartphone is your world – possessing all the important details and information – if it falls in the hands of wrong people may cost you heavily. Keeping this mammoth of information in your mobile requires alot of care and security to keep the intruders from maneuvering their way into your device.

Follow these simple yet effective steps to beef up the security of your cell phone:

1.    The Lock – Your First Line of Defense
Locking your phone is a very simple act, making it difficult for the intruder to peer into the contents of your phone easily. Yet there are people who are too lazy to bother with it. It is imperative to lock the screens of your phone – behaving as the first layer of defense and obstructing the path of those that do not know the password – the person with malicious intent. Also, make sure to keep a strong password encompassing an alphanumeric password.
2.    Your Phone should be with You
Always keep the phone in close proximity or in front of your eyes. It is the best way to keep your phone safe from being contaminated with any malware or a casual intruder, trying to take a sneak peek into the device. The less you keep your phone away from yourself, the safer it would be. If you leave your phone unattended and away from you; it’s equivalent inviting intruders and hackers.
3.    Don’t Hand Over your Phone to Strangers
This may sound obvious, but giving your phone to a stranger is similar to committing suicide. So, if someone comes over to you and ask for your mobile phone to make an emergency call, avoid giving them the phone, or if you really want to be nice you should dial the number yourself and not give the phone away.

4.    Make sure your Phone is Updated
Never forget to update your phone regularly – ones that cater to the needs of the latest cell phone tracking techniques. So keep in mind to keep your phone up to date and ensure that it has what it takes to tackle the strongest cell phone spyware.

5.    Don’t make your Location Visible
It is recommended that you switch off the GPS or other means of cell phone tracking to avoid making your location visible to strangers. And there are other apps that are following suit and asking for the location of the users. This is one way of ensuring your privacy.

6.    Scan Applications
Make sure that you monitor the “permissions” screen when you’re downloading and installing applications that would help you figure out what the app does in reality. Also try to avoid downloading apps from unreliable sources, and read reviews of every app before you download it.

7.    Don’t open unknown Attachments
Email attachments are one of the major sources of malware. Make a habit of avoiding unknown emails, as there are high chances of having virus in them. Secondly, before downloading attachments, make sure to properly scan them.

Author Bio:

Natalia David has been a regular contributor as tech writer. Her work related to Mobistealth cell phone tracking visit www.mobistealth.com and PC monitoring has received great appreciation from readers. You can also follow her on twitter @NataliaDavid4.