The Education Edicts of 1966-1979 - Part 6

The Federal Military Government of Nigeria enacted Decree No. 14 of 1967, with which it created twelve states out of the existing four regions (West, Mid-West, North and East). Lagos remained the federal capital. The number of the legislatures increased to thirteen, twelve state and one federal legislatures. In 1976, the states were increased to nineteen, thus making the legislative bodies to be twenty. Each state promulgated an edict for the regulation of education, and its provision and management. Examples include East

Central States Public Education Edict No. 5 of 1970, Lagos State’s Education Law

(Amendment) Edict/No. 11 of 1970, South Eastern State’s Education (School’s Board) Edict/No. 20 of 1971 and Mid-Western State’s Education Edict, No. 5 of 1973. Each state amended its education law when necessary. All the edicts had common features, such as state take-over of schools from individuals and voluntary agencies, establishment of school management boards and a unified teaching service.

TIPS ON MAKING PRESENTATIONS

As part of an extended interview/selection centre you may be asked to give a short presentation. Usually you choose the topic from a list which may include your hobbies, a recent holiday, a current affairs topic or one of your achievements, or sometimes you may be asked to make a presentation on a case study you have previously done as part of the extended interview. The purpose is not to test your subject knowledge, but to see how well you can speak in public. Typically you will be asked to talk for five minutes, and will be given 20 or 30 minutes beforehand to prepare.

BASIC TIPS

• Dress smartly: don't let your appearance distract from what you are saying.
• Smile. Don't hunch up and shuffle your feet. Have an upright posture. Try to appear confident and enthusiastic.
• Say hello and smile when you greet the audience: your audience will probably look at you and smile back: an instinctive reaction.
• Speak clearly, firmly and confidently as this makes you sound in control. Don't speak too quickly: you are likely to speed up and raise the pitch of your voice when nervous. Give the audience time to absorb each point. Don't talk in a monotone the whole time. Lift your head up and address your words to someone near the back of audience. If you think people at the back can't hear, ask them.
• Use silence to emphasise points. Before you make a key point pause: this tells the audience that something important is coming. It's also the hallmark of a confident speaker as only these are happy with silences. Nervous speakers tend to gabble on trying to fill every little gap.
• Keep within the allotted time for your talk.
• Eye contact is crucial to holding the attention of your audience. Look at everyone in the audience from time to time, not just at your notes or at the PowerPoint slides. Try to involve everyone, not just those directly in front of you.
• You could try to involve your audience by asking them a question.
• Don't read out your talk, as this sounds boring and stilted, but refer to brief notes jotted down on small (postcard sized) pieces of card. Don't look at your notes too much as this suggests insecurity and will prevent you making eye contact with the audience.
• It’s OK to use humour, in moderation, but better to use anecdotes than to rattle off a string of jokes.
• Take along a wristwatch to help you keep track of time – the assessor may cut you off as soon as you have used the time allocated, whether or not you have finished.
• It can be very helpful to practise at home in front of a mirror. You can also record your presentation and play it back to yourself: don't judge yourself harshly when you replay this - we always notice our bad points and not the good when hearing or seeing a recording or ourselves! Time how long your talk takes. Run through the talk a few times with a friend.
• It's normal to be a little nervous. This is a good thing as it will make you more energised. Many people have a fear of speaking in public. Practising will make sure that you are not too anxious. In your mind, visualise yourself giving a confident successful performance. Take a few deep slow breaths before your talk starts and make a conscious effort to speak slowly and clearly. Research by T Gilovich (Cornell University) found that people who feel embarrassed are convinced their mistakes are much more noticeable than they really are: we focus on our own behaviour more than other people do and so overestimate it's impact. This is called the spotlight effect. If you make a mistake, don't apologise too much, just briefly acknowledge the mistake and continue on. 
• Build variety into the talk and break it up into sections: apparently, the average person has a three minute attention span!

TOP 18 ESSENTIALS AND BENEFITS OF WEIGHT TRAINING

1. Weight training tones your muscles which looks great and raises your basal metabolism... which causes you to burn more calories 24 hours-a-day. You'll even burn more calories while you're sleeping.

2. Weight training can *reverse* the natural decline in your metabolism which begins around age 30.

3. Weight training energizes you.

4. Weight training has a positive effect on almost all of your 650+ muscles.

5. Weight training strengthens your bones reducing your risk of developing osteoporosis.

6. Weight training improves your muscular endurance.

7. Weight training will NOT develop big muscles on women....just toned muscles!

8. Weight training makes you strong. Strength gives you confidence and makes daily activities easier.

9. Weight training makes you less prone to low-back injuries.

10. Weight training decreases your resting blood pressure.

11. Weight training decreases your risk of developing adult onset diabetes.

12. Weight training decreases your gastrointestinal transit time, reducing your risk for developing colon cancer.

13. Weight training increases your blood level of HDL cholesterol (the good type).

14. Weight training improves your posture.

15. Weight training improves the functioning of your immune system.

16. Weight training lowers your resting heart rate, a sign of a more efficient heart.

17. Weight training improves your balance and coordination.
 
18. Weight training elevates your mood.

THE ROMANTIC IDEAS PART 5

IDEA # 81

Research your partner's favorite hobby and identify a gift that is really useful

for her. The more specialized the gift the more impact it will have. Talk to her

friends and family and use the Net to find the information you need.

IDEA # 82

Go to a masquerade ball. Send an invitation to your partner telling her to

meet you at a specific spot at the stroke of eight.

Wear a mask and when you meet her, don't say a word. Just take her hand

and lead her on to the dance floor.

IDEA # 83

On Thursday, ask your partner to pack a bag for the weekend. Tell her she'll

need casual clothes and walking shoes but don't tell her what you have got

planned.

Pick her up after work on Friday and drive to a romantic bed and breakfast for

a romantic weekend of relaxation.

IDEA # 84

When you are relaxing at home one night, take two large sheets of paper and

some pencils or crayons. On each piece of paper, draw the outline of a large

crystal ball sitting on a stand.

Tell your partner to look into her crystal ball and draw what she sees five

years in the future. Do the same thing yourself and then come together to

share and discuss your drawings.

IDEA # 85

Create a loving nickname for your partner. This could be the name she was

called by her family when she was a little girl or something that is special just

for the two of you.

IDEA # 86

If you are musically inclined, write a love song for your partner. Call it

something like "Natasha's Song".

Produce a professional looking manuscript, print it out and get it framed.

Record your song onto CD and take a photo of your partner and get a print

shop to create a CD cover if you can’t create one on your computer.

Place the framed manuscript and the CD in a box and give it to your partner

as a special gift.

IDEA # 87

Pick your partner up for a date and blindfold her before driving to a special

destination.

Try to make the destination something really unexpected like a table set up at

the top of a cliff or a dinner on a boat or old-fashioned ship. It needs to be

something that will have an impact when she removes the blindfold.

IDEA # 88

Have a really big pillow fight. Set up for it by buying two pillows that are filled

with feathers. Put holes in the pillows so the feathers will start to fly and then

attack your partner when you feel the time is right.

IDEA # 89

Get out into the great outdoors. After a day of hiking, build an open fire. Sit

by the fire with your partner, toast marshmallows and watch as the embers of

the fire climb into the night sky.

TheRomantic.com 101 Romantic Ideas

IDEA # 90

If your partner uses a computer, take a photo of the two of you and get it

scanned at a print shop (or scan it at home) and store it on disk as a .bmp file.

Transfer the file onto your partner's computer and set the image as the

computer's wallpaper.

To do this on a Windows machine, select Start / Settings / Control Panel /

Display. Choose the Background tab and click the Browse button to find your

.bmp file.

IDEA # 91

If you are artistically inclined, do a life drawing course, practice until you are

confident and then ask your partner to pose for you.

IDEA # 92

Take your partner to a carnival or festival. Try the following:

(1) Food festival

(2) Jazz festival

(3) Wine festival

(4) Music festival

IDEA # 93

Develop a video time capsule. Start with the two of you sitting together on a

couch introducing the video. Say something like, "It is currently July 14th

2002. We have decided to make this video so that we can watch it together

on our 25th wedding anniversary."

Then have a section where you talk to the camera by yourself, telling the

camera how you feel about your partner and why you love her. Get her to do

the same thing. When you are done, place the video in a bank vault and on

your 25th wedding anniversary you will be able to look back in time and

reminisce about everything that you have shared.

IDEA # 94

If you are in a secluded spot near a beach or lake and the weather is warm,

go for an impromptu skinny dip with your partner.

IDEA # 95

This one is great for long distance relationships. It takes a bit of organization

but if you can pull it off, it is sure to be a surprise that your partner will never

forget. Organize to catch up with her regularly over the internet using either a

chat room or an Instant Messenger program. Then arrange a secret trip to

meet her without telling her that you’re coming.

When it comes time for your usual chat over the Net, arrange for a close

friend back home to log on using your nickname while you position yourself

outside her door. Phone your friend on your mobile and be speaking to him in

real time. Tell him to type in the following sentence, “I really miss you honey, I

wish I could be there and just reach out and knock on your door.” As soon as

he has sent the message, knock on the door!

TheRomantic.com 101 Romantic Ideas

IDEA # 96

Buy your partner a gold fish in a bowl and give it to her with a card saying,

“Of all the fish in the sea,

you're the fish for me!”

IDEA # 97

Go for a drive either early in the morning or at dusk. Get a CD/tape that

contains sounds of nature such as Sounds Of the Rainforest and play it as

you hold your partner's hand and drive.

IDEA # 98

The day before your partner's birthday buy some helium balloons, streamers

and flowers and hide them in a closet.

When your partner has fallen asleep, string the streamers around the room

and bring out the balloons and flowers. Place them around the bed so that

your partner wakes up to a real birthday surprise.

IDEA # 99

Spend a leisurely afternoon with your partner in a large book shop such as

Borders where you can browse the shelves, share a coffee and sit down to

peruse your purchases.

IDEA # 100

If you can afford it, hire a sports car for a weekend. Pick up your partner and

give her a long white cashmere scarf to wear with her sunglasses. Go for a

drive along the coast with the top down.

IDEA # 101

Serve your partner breakfast in bed. Try the following:

(1) A poached egg in the shape of a heart - you can pick up a heart shaped

poacher at most shops that sell kitchen wares.

(2) French toast with cinnamon and maple syrup.

(3) Cereal.

(4) Fruit juice.

(5) A fresh flower.