Education
Schools Furnishing: RSG Assures Due Process On Contract Award
The Rivers State Government has assured that due process would be followed in the award of contracts for the furnishing of five new model secondary schools built by the government.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr Richard Ofuru, gave this assurance during the opening of tender for contractors in Port Harcourt, Wednesday.
Mr Ofuru explained that the essence of the forum was to give everybody equal opportunity to bid as well see others bidding, adding that, “we in the Ministry of Education, we want to do our things orderly and transparently, that was the reason for inviting the bidders for everybody to see”.
The Permanent Secretary said there was need for bidders to be competent and be ready to executive the jobs at the lowest costs, even as he noted that more than 100 companies have tendered for the contract.
He said that even as the state government was determined to equip the newly – built Model Secondary Schools in the state, it would not tolerate low standard of work in furnishing of the schools.
“We cannot go below what we have started. We want the best. The governor wants the best for Rivers people, the commissioner wants the best for Rivers children,” he said and told bidders that they would not encounter any challenge as all jobs have been budgeted for. He said that government was working in accordance with the budgets.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Deputy Director and Project Manager, in the Ministry, Loveday Pepple, who advised bidders to be patient, assured that they would be given everything as due process requires.
Responding on behalf of the bidders, the Managing Director of R. I. Ihuanne & Sons Nigeria Limited, Mr Richard Igwe, spoke of the need to guard against a situation in which some contractors who did not bid are made to win the award.
He suggested that names of those to be selected after the analysis be published in the spirit of honesty and transparency.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
Education
Hardwork, Unwavering Focus Key To Success -VC
Vice Chancellor of Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Prof. Nlerum Okogbule, has tasked newly admitted undergraduates to be hardworking and be more focused to their academic works as this, among others is key to success.
Prof. Okugbule also warned students to desist from joining secret cults, and engaging in examination malpractices, among other vices.
The Vice Chancellor stated this in his address at the 42nd matriculation ceremony of the university for the 2023/2024 academic session, held at the convocation arena in Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
According to Prof. Okogbule, a total of 9,035 were formally admitted into the university.
“Today, a total of 9,035 candidates, who have satisfied the minimum requirements for admission into various programmes of the university are being formally admitted as students.”
The breakdown of the new students and their faculties is as follows: Faculty of Agriculture – 360 students ; Basic Medical Sciences – 1,085; Communication and Media Studies – 1,061; Education – 606; Engineering – 1,271; and Environmental Sciences – 268.
Others are: Humanities – 755; Law – 250; Management Sciences – 816; Science – 1,814 and Social Sciences – 479 respectively.
The Vice Chancellor added, “You are therefore expected to take your studies seriously and do not waste your valuable time on unproductive ventures or activities.
“Let me inform you that this university has zero tolerance for all forms of anti-social activities, such as membership of secret cult groups, examination malpractices or what is now known as ‘sorting.’
“The penalty for involvement in any of these activities is rustication from the university, and I do not waste time in doing this once a student is found culpable.”
Okogbule, however disclosed that RSU Students’ Affairs Directorate has a list of ‘registered and acceptable clubs’ the students can belong to in the university to assist them in extra-curricular activities on campus.
He advised, “In order to encourage academic excellence, the university has a policy of declaring as University Scholars those who attain a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 5.00 at the end of every academic session.
“The university will be responsible for the school fees of such students provided their CGPA does not fall below 4.50. In addition, such students, upon graduation, will be given preference when employment opportunities are available.
“The expo I will give you in this regard is that it is easier to make the 5.00 CGPA in 100 level of any programme. So the best time to strive to achieve this feat is now.”
He pointed out that RSU, among others, has become top choice higher institutions in the country for many students, following the infrastructural development and the non-disruption of academic activities in the institution for several years, saying, “Freshers should count themselves lucky to have been admitted there.”
While commending parents and guardians whose children are matriculating for their vision and sacrifices, Prof. Okogbule urged them to monitor their wards activities while on campus.
Education
Rector Gifts Best Students N400,000 As Edo Poly Matriculates 9,150
The Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State last Friday matriculated 9,150 new students into various courses of study offered at both National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) levels.
This was as the Rector of the institution, Engr. Dr. Man Yahaya Sani gave the sum of N200,000 cash gift each to two National Diploma students with the highest Cumulative Grade Point Average.
The students are; Waliu Babatunde Bamidele from the department of Library and Information Science and Babatunde Joshua Ifeoluwa, a student of Mechanical Engineering, both with a CGPA of 3.98.
Sanni in his address, said the management is committed to providing an all-round education in a conducive, friendly teaching and learning environment.
The Rector noted that only 59.5% of candidates who signified interest to study in the Polytechnic were eventually admitted.
He added that the polytechnic had secured 18 new programmes at both the National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) levels, taking its total to 64 programmes.
The Rector admonished the new intake to emulate the recipients of the cash gift and avoid bad companies that can lead them to violate the rules and regulations of the institution and jeopardise their admission.
“My dear matriculating students, I want to congratulate and welcome you all for finally making it here despite the tedious and rigorous processes that you passed through. You indeed struggled to scale the hurdles of Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) and of course our own Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (POST-UTME) Screening before gaining admission to this prestigious Polytechnic.
“I must not fail to tell you loud and clear that the Polytechnic has zero tolerance for cultism and other sundry anti-social vices i.e. riot, looting, arson, disobedience, examination malpractices, drug abuse, drunkenness, cheating, disrespect for constituted authorities, indecent dressing etc.
Education
Bill To Increase UBEC Funding Passes Second Reading
A bill for the amendment of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC Act to increase its funding from the consolidated revenue from 2 per cent to 4 per cent has passed the second reading in the House of Representatives.
The Chairman of House Committee on Basic Education and Services, Bako Useni, stated this during the committee oversight function at the Digital Resource Centre, built by UBEC, in Abuja, Nigeria.
The centre was built for the training of teachers on digital education in Nigeria.
Bako said the 10th Assembly saw the need to increase financial resources to the basic education sub-sector for set objectives to be further met, hence, the amendment bill sponsored by Muktar Shagaya to increase revenue accruing to UBEC from 2 per cent to 4 per cent.
“The amended bill, which passed the second reading on Wednesday, when concluded, will make UBEC stronger.
“Since UBEC was established in 2004, to date, a lot has been achieved. However, the House felt that if UBEC is motivated with more funding, it will go a long way in achieving more of what it has achieved.
It was on this basis that one of us, Honourable Mukhtar Shagaya, proposed an amendment to the UBEC Act to increase funding to UBEC from 2 per cent to 4 per cent from the Consolidated Revenue Fund,” he said.
used to reshape those in the senior and management cadres of the basic education sub-sector.
The National Coordinator of the Digital Resource Centre, Professor Bashir Galandanci, said the Digital Resource Centre is part of the effort of the commission to transform the agency into a digital era.
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