Early Warnings – Key Risk Indicators

RISK MANAGEMENT WATCH By Robert Mbonu

Can governments make predictions to enable the delivery of social services and projects? Can organisations foresee potential risk events? With the correct early warning signals, the answer to both questions is YES.

A well-designed Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework system provides information that allows management to understand whether key strategic objectives are being met, and to adjust strategies and tactics to take advantage of shifts in the environment that might be exploited for the benefit of the organisation and its stakeholders.

Boards have become increasingly aware of their responsibilities related to effective oversight of management’s execution of enterprise-wide risk management processes. This is due, in part, to significant external pressures that have developed recently thrusting risk management and its oversight to the forefront of many board agendas and action plans. Forward looking governments and organisations now embrace ERM as an enterprise-wide approach to risk oversight.

The idea behind ERM is to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of entity objectives. It boils down to being proactive, that is, pre-empting unfavorable situation(s) from occurring.

As time goes by, the range of uncertainty begins to increase, threatening the successful execution of those strategies. The early warning indicators used to measure the possible changes to a risk are known as Key Risk Indicators (KRI’s). By monitoring changes in the levels of risk exposure, they are critical predictors of unfavorable events that can adversely impact organisations and prevent crises.

KRI’s append themselves to the risk that has been identified, analysed and prioritised. They should be measurable. Such early warning signals tell us more about how the risk can change, how fast it can change and when it might peak or trough. Developing KRI’s require a lot of data and time, but offer rich rewards in terms of helping to predict risk.

The hardest thing about key risk indicators in a business environment is to get them right – this is the “KEY” part of it. That’s why the most important risks to the goal or objective must be picked before setting out what key risk indicators are for that risk.

Mapping key risks to core strategic initiatives puts management in a position to begin identifying the most critical metrics that can serve as leading key risk indicators to help oversee the execution of core strategic initiatives. Such mapping reduces the likelihood that management becomes distracted by other information that may be less relevant to the achievement of enterprise objectives.

Safeguarding an organization from operational, reputational and other risks, necessitates periodic and regular reviews of these KRI’s. All of this is possible through an in-depth understanding of risks which will enable proper identification, establish appropriate risk indicators, and monitor performance consistently.
Developing effective KRI’s mandates a thorough understanding of organisational objectives and risk-related events that might affect the achievement of those objectives.

While most organisations monitor KRI’s that have developed over time, it is essential for these to be regularly evaluated for efficiency and continuously monitored to highlight potential risks. Over time, they must be augmented with new KRI’s to meet the dynamic circumstances as newer risks emerge and the older KRI’s become insufficient.

An effective method for developing KRI’s begins by analysing a risk event that has affected the organisation in the past (or present) and then working backwards to pinpoint intermediate and root cause events that led to the ultimate loss or lost opportunity. The goal is to develop key risk indicators that provide valuable leading indications that risks may be emerging. The closer the KRI is to the ultimate root cause of the risk event, the more likely the KRI will provide management time to proactively take action to respond to the risk event.

As an illustration, let’s assume that management of a company is concerned about the risk that outstanding loans may not be repaid. In this example, a possible loan default would represent the risk event that is of concern. In developing effective KRIs to help management monitor the risk of default, they may look backwards to identify potential intermediate events. For example, this might involve decreases in sales in recent months. Additionally, shortages of cash or increases in the need for short-term borrowings or draws under existing lines-of-credit may provide early warning signs that a breach may be looming in the near term. KRI’s that help monitor these intermediate events put management in a better position to implement potential mitigation strategies, such as earlier discussions with key lenders before an actual covenant breach has occurred. In addition, these key risk indicators may highlight potential opportunities to increase sales or improve operations that management may wish to capture.

Using government as an example, if the deteriorating internal security due to long term economic downtime is the risk event, the KRI’s to help monitor this trend could include – employment outlook for federal government agencies and government supportive businesses; forecasts related to unemployment; rising food price index; and consumer spending trends in the economy to mention few.

Designing and setting up KRI’s is critical to a successful ERM process. While the potential advantages of creating an effective set of KRI’s has been highlighted, it is equally important to set the design elements and protocols for their proper communication and flow within the sphere of corporate governance, all within a framework.

There is more and more movement towards sound and robust KRI systems particularly in the financial services sector driven by regulation. Going beyond regulation for all sectors and investing on sound KRI systems will bring great rewards and confidence in an age when threats are becoming more apparent, regular and severe. Once the KRI system is working for the threats, then the biggest rewards come in using the same systems for opportunities. It’s worth the time and money, after all, we use KRI’s intuitively in our everyday living process.

• Mbonu, FERP, CIRM(UK), HCIB, MsRM (Stern), studied Engineering, is an experienced Banker and Enterprise Risk Management professional. Earned a post graduate degree in Risk Management from New York University Stern School of Business, and is a member of the Institute of Risk Management -UK. Can be reached on 09092092046 (SMS Only); email: rm4riskmgt@gmail.com

Sparqlzzz News.

Brands As Growth Catalysts

Perhaps to appreciate the consideration of BRAND for an operative ingredient in economic growth development and growth, it is fundamentally important to expand our collective appreciation of the contextual boundaries ordinarily set for its common reference; we need to dissolve the concrete definitions of a brand in both worlds of services and goods, tangible and intangibles…A Brand should happen on us as a commitment, an understanding, a way of life, a sense of discipline. A brand is a belief.

To appreciate the role of brands as growth drivers and economic development agents, we have to be abreast of the fundamental imperative of the components of a BRAND. Most times, and indeed the most common and only known aspect of a brand is its commercial nature and all of the attendant characteristics; all of which have even gone ahead of our academic, professional, career and vocational engagements, to shape and determine our inter-personal/group relations and interactions for, and on behalf of our positions in representation of BRANDS, either as owner/managers or consumers. Howbeit this orientation and belief has shaped grave monetary decisions and permutations.

So, the traditional belief that a brand is a bundle of specific value offering, with a name, offered at a determined price, emboldens academic and professional posturing, thrusting graded support for entrepreneurial tradition within which sphere the only known and understandable language is money; money encrypted in all forms, in so far as value and profitability is made manifest. Some have stretched the argument for monetary value as the basis for definition of a BRAND to the extent of living the belief in the theatre of war. Philosophical postulations have played up the art of war in situations of brand positioning through the walkway of competitive engagement; more so, as marginal earning over specific time limits are kept in view. So, we hear and live with practices named as annual budgeting, earning reports, market planning, sales anticipation and actualisation, and the attendants.

Kindly considered on the flip side, we hear of consumer behaviour and analysis, competitive information gathering and monitoring, measure of consumer engagement, loyalty and the reasons for recorded variations, etc. So, whereas the involvement of research tools paints the picture of selfless concern for the CONSUMER, the real goal is to feed the channels of wealth creation and growth through investment multiplication. Around such self-centred institutional practice, clouded in the misty haze of ‘public interest’ is built a huge wall of self-preservation for wealth creation. The extent of ‘cruelty’ in this practice depends on the nature and extent of ‘civilisation’ demonstrated from market to market.

BRANDS must make money to survive.

As a mantra, profitability for brands’ survival is a way of life. True, that cannot be questioned; the factors of production keep grossing in costs daily. As resources deplete in size and availability and population rise in the increase astronomically, the demand and therefore the cost of factors of production keeps at its the matching order.  If, and for as long as the costs are constant, the prices must be carefully determined for competitive survival. So when that brand determines its prices at the different stages of its supply chain (trade/market), it must bear in mind its costs at its own demand side. If for any reason the earning does not cancel out the spend side of the balance sheet and leave a ‘margin’ for sustainability, truly, the consequence would be grave, in the negative…a norm.

However, therein lays the crux of this issue in consideration: WHAT IS A BRAND?

If we confine ourselves to the conventional space, the value offering, named and presented at the market place at a price, is a BRAND. It comes with definite and intangible components, whether in the category of goods or services, which, primarily defines a character, perception, expertise, presence of mind and a postulation on futuristic considerations  such as expectations, want, need and approval. A BRAND, in some cases as is within this sphere of consideration, is anticipatory on its ability to deliver measurable value, good enough to meet some or certain needs for which value in form of money is exchanged. In the commercial world, the value of the offered value is measured by the price at which the target market is ready to pay for it. So, in the competitive world, competition is categorised into leadership, followers, and laggards. If otherwise the offered value fails to deliver at the critical value touch-points, such BRANDS fail, and fallout of reckoning.

The important aspect of the competitive set that interests as we consider THE BRAND, is the extinction of a once market leader. Most times, such occurrence is ascribed to generational shift. So presently, the new and emerging market is that of the millennial(s); a population of young consumers born in the digital age; a set of people who are clinically strange to the value pattern and lifestyle of the older generation; a people ruled by immediacy, disconnected from the tradition of gradual appreciation. Innovative investments are fast bending the rules to be accepted by the millennial markets. So, as it is, with the turn of age, some brands that had excelled before the ‘new age’ market are challenged for adaptability in creativity, styling, value appreciation and new knowledge or are doomed to ‘failure’. The failure we know in this case, is not as a result of incompetence in the old tradition for which they had achieved perfection, but because the values are new and compelling.

So, again, WHAT IS A BRAND?

A BRAND should be a commitment; a commitment to improving the life we live in, as a duty to mankind; the same commitment that has propelled teachers, scientists, technological innovators, medical breakthroughs, innovative technologies.  Whereas one is not discounting the value rated aspect of a brand, the extent of commercial rating of the value and essence of a brand has resulted in a dangerous level of competition which is presently creating a dangerous pattern of consummate aggression as a result of failing systems. Brands must stand up to the responsibility of supporting societal values, collective growth, improvement in living standard, and even morale. If that sets in within the consideration bracket in the design and development of BRANDS, brands will desist from making false promises, compromised offer quality (value), uncompromising interaction, fuelling inflation, ‘poisoning’ systems and sponsoring greed.

A particular brand in the bank financial market presently runs a TV commercial on CNN, in which it positions as the assured, reliable and dependable life-partner through the journey of life. Of particular interest is its acknowledgement of difficult times as being part of life journey. As an offer, therefore, it offers to lend a helping hand through the difficult times in the journey of life…as a promise. Interesting!

This TV advert in reference says a lot for the topic of ‘conversation’ here.  My advice to such brands that spend so much to create doubts around their personalities is to pay attention to prevalent mood. Perhaps, they should be careful who they engage to provide advertising & marketing communication services, as that could actually be the challenge. But on the whole, how dare a bank brand in a market of extreme poverty, youth unemployment, hunger/starvation, business failure and general disillusion make such PROMISE? It’s either such a brand is a liar or a ’fool’.

Market and peoples have changed; orientation is more demanding of true development-focused investment. Technological advancement has reshaped consumer expectation and, slowly but assuredly, education is contributing to the growing profile of consumers’ sense of value judgement. Brands must live up to the new challenge…emphasise contributory investment as the basis of brand conceptualisation.

By: Bernard Okhakume

Sparqlzzz.

JAMB Cancels Examination Result of 59,698 Candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has now officially cancelled the results of 59,698 candidates over examination malpractices.

JAMB’s Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja at a news conference at the end of an enlarged meeting with external examiners and other stakeholders in the conduct of the 2017 UTME.

According to him, 1,386 candidates have their results cancelled over examination malpractice; 57,646 results were also affected as a result of centres-induced malpractices while the results of 666 candidates were cancelled due to multiple examinations.

The cancelled results were fewer than the 76,923 initially withheld by the examination body when the results of the 2017 UTME were announced on 31 May. Oloyede had said the final figure of annulled results would be announced after a thorough investigation.

There may be a second chance for some of the candidates to seat for a supplementary UTME, according to Oloyede, especially for those deemed innocent of centre-induced exam cheating.

The Supplementary exam will take place 1 July, mostly for candidates who registered late for this year’s UTME. Oloyede added that some of the candidates whose results were cancelled would also take part in the rescheduled exam.

He listed the categories of candidates whose results were cancelled but would take part in the rescheduled examination to include candidates of centres with mass malpractices but who are deemed innocent, biometric non-verification machine related issues.

Others include technical and log out issues, late registration, incomplete results and candidates who lost examination sessions due to malfunctioning of servers at the affected centre.

The JAMB boss said the decision to allow the candidates sit for the rescheduled examination was reached after a thorough review of all the reports that emanated from their centres.

Oloyede announced the blacklisting of 48 CBT centres found culpable of aiding cheating. He said another 24 CBT centres had been suspended for one year for failing to live up to expectations.

“The (24 CBT) centres will not participate in the 2018 UTME, but they can be reconsidered for 2019 and above.

“The delisting of 48 centres from participating in the board’s examination in future is as a result of serious technical deficiencies, extortion, organised examination malpractices and other damaging infractions.”

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had released at the end of May 1,606,901 results out of the 1,718, 425 that registered for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

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CHANGE HAS FINALLY OCCURRED: UTME examinations to be monitored with CCTV camara's

The Question of Human Capital By Sonala Olumhense

This week in New York, my daughter, Eseosa, will become the first of my four children to earn a higher degree.  It will be a proud moment for my family, but particularly for me.  

Why?  It is 35 years since I abandoned my quest to earn a Masters degree in Mass Communication at the University of Lagos.  After one full year, I could not justify the quest.

Thirteen of us had overcome a qualifying exam of over 250 people to get into the program.  Upon arrival, I was surprised to find how poorly organized the department was.  In the Print Media sequence in which I was engaged, only two courses were in any way challenging.  

In addition, not only were some lecturers often engaged in fighting, it was difficult to believe that a couple of them were products of a journalism program in the first place.  

For instance, one of those teachers, who claimed to have done graduate studies in the United States, taught the same “class” over and over for an entire semester, something about four categories of Nigerian journalists.  To his weekly three-hour class, in which there were students with many years of professional experience, he often arrived late and left early.  

When he appeared to be running late again for the first class of the second semester, the class resolved to end the charade.  We found him sitting in his office, where it was our surprise he was surprised to hear our mission.  

Didn’t we know, he asked us, that the course was over?  Just like that.  No substance, no concluding test, no grades. 

That was not my idea of graduate school, I told myself, and I didn’t want such a teacher on my conscience or on my resume.  If I wanted a postgraduate degree I could strike my chest about, I thought, I needed to go somewhere else.  

Footnote: a few years later, I learned with great grief that the “four categories” professor had somehow become the Head of Department.  Given the pace with which incompetence and mismanagement had continued to punt afar Nigeria’s better talent while making a temple of sewage dumps, that should not have been surprising.  

This week, Ese will be one of the thousands of Nigerian children in the US laying their hands on undergraduate and graduate degrees, and sometimes, even jobs.  Each year, those of them who were born in the United States have direct access to the opportunities of a strong educational ethos, even if it leaves them swimming in a river of student loans.  

For the others, it is a case of the cow going through the eye of the needle, as they must labor through complicated immigration and financial requirements to get into available academic or professional programmes.  

Given those odds, it is a marvel that so many Nigerian students register in American and other foreign institutions every year.  Some of them are fighting through a variety of doors closed to them at home to knock on others which are at least manned, abroad.  

Next month, for instance, 101 young Nigerians, part of a 1000-strong African contingent, will head to the US to participate in the 2017 Mandela Washington Fellowship program.  Over 22,000 Nigerians had applied.  In 2016, 100 Nigerians were chosen out of 10,000 applicants; and in 2015, 40 out of 7,000.

In comparison, there is an average of 20 from 48 other African countries who will participate in the program, in which 40 universities which will engage them in public management, business and entrepreneurship, civic leadership, and energy.

It is disquieting to consider what might have happened had the US simply asked the Nigerian government to nominate 101 Nigerians in a country in which, almost every time information leaks about government hiring, the process is found to have been manipulated.  

Last month, for instance, the State Security Service (SSS) was unmasked as having gerrymandered its 2016 recruitment to favor the North.  Worse still, more people—51—were scandalously employed from Katsina, the home state of President Muhammadu Buhari and of Lawal Daura, the Director-General of the SSS, than from the South-east states combined. 

Nobody apologized.  Nobody voided the appointments.

In March 2016, the Central Bank of Nigeria was similarly exposed for secretly recruiting children and relatives of politically-powerful Nigerians without advertising the positions as required by law.  The beneficiaries included a nephew of President Buhari; a daughter of then Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase; a daughter of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; a son of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu; a daughter of a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’aba, and a son of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdulrahman Danbazzau.

Nobody apologized.  Nobody voided the appointments.

Against that background, we may also remember that in 2014, at least 16 people were killed in stampedes for government jobs at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.  Over 500,000 jobless persons, from whom the insensitive government had illegally collected millions of Naira, were invited to contest for fewer than 5,000 positions in open stadia with limited capacity.

Speaking of opportunities, last Sunday President Buhari returned to England to resume the medical vacation he did not complete last March.  While most Nigerians wish him well, the irony is that this continues the tradition of entitlement and lack of transparency for which he had criticized his predecessors, and which continues to deny the Nigerian child equality opportunity.

Apparently, the same tradition extends to Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.  It turns out that while Mr. Buhari wrote to the Senate as prescribed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria about his intention to return to sampling the medical delights of another country, he only wanted Mr. Osinbajo to serve in his absence as Coordinator, rather than as Acting President.  

After it became public knowledge that Mr. Buhari had made a mistake, to put it delicately, another story emerged: that he was guilty only of having failed to read the letter he signed.

That letter, for those who did not see it, comprised two paragraphs of four sentences and 72 words.  The truth is that no excuse is good enough for a political elite which is impermeable to change, unwilling to sacrifice and incapable of leading by a good example.  

This is the ailment that is keeping Nigeria sick in bed.  This is the ailment that is chasing our best away and into the hands and lands of others.  This is the ailment that is keeping our streets overflowing with an army of the unemployed, handcuffing the employed, and making those trained abroad unwilling to return home.  

While Nigeria continues to seek foreign loans, what it needs most is the heart to acknowledge its lavish gift of human capital, and to establish a policy to harness it.

Sparqlzzz News.

Unleashing the Forces of Growth, By Taiwo Odukoya

Our capacity for a greater tomorrow, whether in Nigeria or Africa, is invested in the youth. We cannot afford, therefore, to be impediments to their growth and development, the stifling of their potential, and the flourishing of their creativity. Let us, instead, create the enabling environment and let them loose.

The glory of the young is their strength – Proverbs 20:29

The future of every nation is as strong as the investment it is willing to make in its youth today. It was Kofi Anan who said “Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace. If, however, they are left on society’s margins, all of us will be impoverished.”

In 2013, Senegalese Fatoumata Ba launched Jumia Ivory Coast, an online retail platform supported by Africa Internet Group, with just 10 employees. By 2015, the staff roll had grown to more than 300, making it the fastest growing e-commerce site in Africa, with more than 500,000 visitors buying over 50,000 products. Fatoumata Ba is 29 years old.

At the age of 15, Tanzania’s Patrick E. Ngowi established the Helvetic Group with just $50. A few years later, Helvetic Group became a group of diversified companies with Helvetic Solar Contractors, one of his companies, becoming the first to offer solar solutions in Northern Tanzania. Today his company is worth over $8 million.

In 2014, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji co-founded Andela to find the brightest young people in Africa, train them to be world-class developers, and connect them with employers around the world looking for top technical talent. In 2014, Andela was named by CNN as one of top 10 African startups of 2014. In 2016, the company received $24 million in funding from Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg. Iyinoluwa is just 26.

…many young people across Africa are making strong socio-economic and political contributions without significant support from governments, but many more will flourish if we create the enabling environment.

“In Africa, over 30 percent of the population is between the age of 10 and 24, and will remain so for at least the next 20 years. This burgeoning youth population is a challenge for the region, but it also could be an opportunity – and our greatest asset.” These are the words of Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, the UN Population Fund. And they are true. The stories of young people achieving impressive feats in diverse fields is a pointer to how much we can change the fortunes of Africa if we consciously focus on harnessing the potentials of our young people.

The truth is, many young people across Africa are making strong socio-economic and political contributions without significant support from governments, but many more will flourish if we create the enabling environment. We cannot afford to keep ignoring them lest we continue to push them into the hands of those who channel their energies toward destructive ends. And our nonchalance would be betraying a whole generation.

The greatest mistake we can make is to assume our young people are too young or too ignorant to provide solutions to some of our most pressing problems. In fact studies show that succeeding generations are more intelligent than the previous ones. Joan of Arc was 19 when she inspired the French to wrest freedom from the British. Fidel Castro was 32 when he led a successful campaign against the dictatorship of Batista. Bill Gates was 20 when he co-founded Microsoft with Paul Allen. Mark Zuckerberg was 20 when he created Facebook. Yakubu Gowon was 32 when he became Head of State, ended a civil war and laid the foundation for modern Nigeria. Young people have always had and still have the capacity to change the world in significant ways. Today, technology enables them to do so even more. Anywhere you want to see change, make room for the youth. It is the responsibility of governments and the older generation at large to invest in tomorrow by investing in today’s youth. And we can do this in many ways. For example:

1. Skill acquisition. We need to develop strategies and infrastructure that would help young people build the skills needed to thrive in today’s world through training, mentorship and internship programmes. This is not just a task for government, it is a task for the private sector as well, seeing they stand to benefit from a robust pool of highly skilled young people. Private investors must of necessity explore the nexus between educational institutions and the world of work, in order to bridge the prevalent disconnect between what is being taught in tertiary institutions and the realities of the 21st century workplace. Businesses have to step in to highlight the requisite skills educational institutions need to focus on building and to also empower most of our struggling institutions fulfill their mandate. And this is without prejudice to the government’s responsibility to ramp up investment in education and the youth sector.

There must be a clearly defined youth development strategy that cannot be hindered by a change in government or in political ideology. In fact, any ideology that does not support intentional youth development is poised to fail.

2. Access to funds. We also need to invest in helping young entrepreneurs access seed funding, particularly for technology based endeavours. And this must be intentional, strategic and require a sense of urgency that seems to be lacking.

3. Policy continuity. There must be a clearly defined youth development strategy that cannot be hindered by a change in government or in political ideology. In fact, any ideology that does not support intentional youth development is poised to fail.

Our capacity for a greater tomorrow, whether in Nigeria or Africa, is invested in the youth. We cannot afford, therefore, to be impediments to their growth and development, the stifling of their potential, and the flourishing of their creativity. Let us, instead, create the enabling environment and let them loose.

Thunderboltentz.

Online training or face-to-face education- Which is the best method to study?

Akada..

The decision is yours! At the end of the day, it’s your decision on how to earn your college degree. Hopefully these side-by-side comparisons gave you a better outlook at the college degree plan that is right for you. Before you dive into a degree, be sure to research whether online or traditional education is the best fit for you.

Nowadays students do not prefer to study from traditional colleges and universities due to many reasons that can be in term of huge amount of tuition fees, lack of courses available, budget cuts and many more. To overcome all these issues, they look for different alternatives to complete their study. Now, online education has come into lime light and become the popular alternative among the students to complete their education. According to a report publish in a magazine “In 2017, Online learning has become more efficient and fuel its expansion as compared to face-to-face education”.

So, we have jotted down few of the reasons which helps you to distinguish that why online education have an edge over traditional face-to-face education.

Large variety and number of courses available:

Online training institutes offer a variety of options for the students. So, it becomes easy for students to complete training for multiple courses from one place. This means that no matter what students wants to study, from fashion to doctorate, they can find the online courses and can complete their degree.

Less Costs:

As compared to colleges and schools, online method of learning is more affordable. Besides this, you can save other costs also like for online education there is no commuting cost, most of the times no text book is required as course material is provided by online institutes only. Students can also search for free online course. Though free online courses are not much detailed but they can be helpful to fulfill the basis requirement.

More comfortable way of studying:

In online training students need not to attend any physical class sessions. So, this helps them to learn courses at the comfort of their home. They need not to leave work early or miss family time to attend courses.

Flexibility:

Students can plan their study time at any time of the day. They can schedule study hours as per their convenience like early morning and late nights also. This provide students more flexibility and they can easily manage their work life balance.

Can complete courses with other commitments:

Students can complete the online courses while fulfilling other commitments also like doing job or dedicating time for family. So, the online study is the best way to avoid any gaps in study or resume your studies with any other commitments.

Less distraction because of classroom activities:

Students can concentrate more on the courses through online study as compared to face-to-face education as they are less distracted by other students or any classroom activities. Additionally, shy students also get change to participate in group discussions.

Interactions with instructors and peers

Interactions with instructors and peers will still happen as an online student. It just happens to be through online video instead. Learning through online video can help you to focus more on independently learning and your classes may even go quicker without some of the distractions of a traditional classroom education.

So, from the above-mentioned points it’s clear that online courses nowadays have more benefits as compared to face-to-face education as students can save time, define study hours, can continue with other commitments and most importantly can do courses in less cost. But anything that have pros have cons also. But advantages of online training are much more than its cons.

Hope! This article helps you to decide that whether to go for face-to face education or online training.

Sparqlzzz News

“How We Spent N20m To Hack JAMB Registration Portal” — Suspects Confess

Some suspects have been arrested after they allegedly hacked into Jamb registration portal, where they spent over N20m for the downfall of the portal.

Read the report as reported by PUNCH Below:

Some suspects who were allegedly caught while perpetrating certain irregularities in the ongoing registration for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations have reportedly confessed to spending over N 20 m to construct a radio platform with which they hacked into JAMB ’s registration portal .

Saturday PUNCH had reported that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps arrested no less than five individuals who had deployed fake biometric capturing machines to register applicants .

The Spokesperson of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Dr . Fabian Benjamin , in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, said, “These registration thieves deployed fake biometric capturing mechanisms and super -imposed registration slips just to satisfy the curiosity of innocent candidates that their registration was successful .

“And on the day of examination, such candidates’ data would either be edited, or not found on the JAMB data base.

“Such candidates would not be verified during the examination proper . ”

Benjamin disclosed that the fraudsters were arrested variously in Oyo, Ogun and Maiduguri by officers and men of the NSCDC and brought to Abuja .

During their interrogations in Abuja , Benjamin said, the suspects gave startling revelations of how they conducted their operations .

“While being paraded in the presence of the Commandant -General of NSCDC, Abdullahi Gana Mohamadu , the fraudsters confessed to numerous registration infractions that JAMB couldn ’t imagine,” Benjamin said.

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