Ministry of Education Science & Technology. The Hon. Commissioner's Desk

29/10/2017

CITATION OF THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER OF AMLSN KADA2017.

PROFESSOR JONATHAN ANDREW NOK

Professor Andrew Jonathan Nok, (MON) is a Nigerian Professor of Biochemistry Public affairs secretary of the Nigerian Academy of Science.

Prof. Andrew Jonathan Nok was born February 11, 1962. He is from Nok a village in Jaba local government area of Southern Kaduna State.

He attended the LEA Primary School in Kaduna before he proceeded to Government Secondary School, Kafanchan where he obtained the West African School Certificate in 1979, the same year he was admitted into Ahmadu Bello University where he received a bachelor's degree in biochemistry in 1983, master's degree in 1988 and doctorate degree in 1993.

In 2010 he was a recipient of the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award (NNOM), in the Science category, he is the first blackman to win the George Foster prize.

He also emerged the winner of the Nigerian Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG) Nigeria Prize for Science. Nok clinged this prestigious science award in 2009 for his seminal work in discovering the gene responsible for the creation of Sialidase (SD), an enzyme which causes sleeping sickness (Trypano-somiasis) titled "Functional Studies on the Trypanosome Sialidase/Trans-sialidase - Prospects for DNA vaccine."

His research breakthrough is significant in forming the baseline for developing DNA based vaccines against Trypanos-oma.

The value of this breakthrough emanates from the 60 million people estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2006, living mainly in rural parts of East, West and Central Africa at the risk of contracting sleeping sickness.

Prof. Nok is currently a visiting Professor at Yale University, working on the development of the Vacines against Trypanosoma.

The renowned scientist and professor at ABU Zaria has published more than 360 scholarly articles in prestigious peer-reviewed journals all over the world.

He has extensive international connections and sits on the interview board of the U.S Embassy for Fulbright scholars, the German Embassy and the Japanese Society for the promotion of Science, among others.

Prof. Jonathan Andrew Nok is a Fellow of Nigerian Academy of science fellow, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of science Lady Davis Fellows.

Andrew Jonathan Nok was nominated as commissioner of Health and Human services by the executive governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai on 29 July 2015, along with other 12 nominees.

The world renowned Scientist is currently The Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology.

KANTIYOK CMD LOC CHAIRMAN AMLSN KADA2017

06/06/2017

11/02/2017

Happy Birthday Daddy Prof.

31/12/2016

09/12/2016

Kaduna to spend N2.25bn feeding senior secondary students

Students in boarding secondary schools in Kaduna State will now each be fed at a cost of N300 per day. This follows approval by the Kaduna State Executive Council that the allocation per student be increased N180 to N300 per day. This will cost the government N2.25bn every school year to feed 27,501 students.

The government took the decision to increase the feeding allocation after noting the hike in the prices of foodstuff across the country. A market survey conducted by the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics between June and September 2016 revealed that there has been a 30% to 40% increase in the prices of food stuff.

This is the second upward review of the feeding allocation this year. In January2016, the Kaduna State Government,in trying to improve the quality of meals given to students in the state boarding schools, had approved N60 per meal as against the N44 per meal that was budgeted in the past. This N60 per meal was piloted in six schools, whose feeding was outsourced to private caterers. Following the significant improvement in the quality of the meals, the scheme will now be applied to all the 31 boarding schools owned by the state government.

This decision means that each student will be fed at N100 per meal, up from the previous N60. Professor Jonathan Nok, the Commissioner of Education, said that “the goal is to ensure that students get the adequate nutrition they need to boost their intellectual capability, stimulate healthy growth andensure they get a well-rounded education”.

Feeding for students in the Junior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State is free, in line with the nine-year free education policy of the present administration. But the Senior Secondary Schools are not yet fully free. Parents and the State Government share the cost of feeding.

Signed

Prof. Jonathan Andrew Nok

Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology

9th December, 2016

06/12/2016

26/11/2016

Event of the donation of Mini libraries to Kaduna State by Marine Platforms.

06/11/2016

..celebrating with Baptist Church choir @50

26/10/2016

TIME TO MAKE KADUNA GREAT AGAIN!!!

Ilmi Garkuwan rayuwar Dan-Adam...........

Governor Malam Nasir Ahmed El-rufai is meeting now with DFID and WorldBank Officials on ways to further improve Quality Education and the Business Environment in Kaduna State.

The DFID Officials also handed over the Original Master Plan of Kaduna from 1915 and 1917 to Governor Nasir El-rufai.

26/10/2016

Kaduna to Conduct Proficiency Test for Teachers

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Andrew Nok, made the clarification in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Kaduna as the State Government on Tuesday plans to introduce compulsory proficiency and competency test for primary school teachers across the state was not to witch-hunt anybody.

Nok explained that the test became necessary following the low quality of teaching observed in primary schools.

According to him, the proficiency test is normal in any establishment, especially if effective and quality service is at stake.
Nok said: “What we want to do is to know who is teaching what in our schools and whether the person is competent enough to teach.

“You would be surprise to know that someone teaching science for example could not define science. Such a person has no business teaching in our schools.”
Nok said that the test would be conducted by the National Open University of Nigeria, adding that those found to be deficient would be given a window for remedy.

He said: “Meanwhile, those that do not fit in the profession would be transferred to areas they could make impact and those that are beyond redemption, I am sorry, they would have to go.”

NAN reports that the state government had on October 10 announced plans to conduct proficiency test for the primary school teachers scheduled to commence on October 29.

09/05/2016

..and he did it!