Education

FG Sets Target For Private COEs

Published

14 years ago

April 30, 2012

The Federal Government is committed to ensuring quality and standards in privately-owned colleges of education, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Prof. Mohammed Junaid, said in Abuja at the commencement of accreditation visits to private colleges of education in the country.

He said the exercise was aimed at ensuring that private colleges of education complied with the Federal Government’s guidelines and the NCCE regulations or face sanctions.

He said that it was the first time the Commission would be verifying private colleges to assess the quality of schools that produced teachers for the country.

“We will assess the level of infrastructure in the colleges, the student/teacher ratio, the quality of teaching staff and facilities,’’ he said.

The executive secretary said that the number of colleges of education was on the increase while the Commission approved only 36.

“The number of private colleges of education is soaring. “Whereas in 1971 we had only two private colleges of education, this figure rose to 21 between 1977 and 2008.

“Thirteen more were established in the 2009 and 2010 period, giving a total number of 36 privately owned colleges of education that has been sanctioned by the National Commission for Colleges of Education.

“You know that quality is the other side of the quantity coin. “While numbers are soaring and multiplying, then the other issue of quality becomes very critical. “So one of the major objectives of our coming out is to ensure that the standards that we have set for the Nigerian certificate in education are being maintained.’’

Junaid said that teachers were very critical in the education system because they lay the foundation for development and were usually assigned to students whether they liked it or not.

He said that students could not choose who their teachers should be, unlike doctors or lawyers, who could be changed due to dissatisfaction in their services.

“We don’t want to wait for the products of our colleges to be out before the users tell us that they are not good quality, we have to solve all the issues now.”

“We carried out verification exercise to states and federal colleges of education in 2007 and 2008, and today we are flagging off the verification exercise to privately owned colleges of education across the country.

“There would be many other teams visiting privately-owned colleges of education throughout the country doing system assessment, comparing what we have on the ground with the norms and standards that we have set at the Commission for the running of colleges of education.

“One of the things we’ll be looking for is compliance with the Federal Government regulations and the National Commission for Colleges of Education policy guidelines for running of colleges of education; we would verify that these are being complied with.”

Junaid said that henceforth accreditation and verification by the Commission would continue in all federal, state and private colleges of education.

Education

Akwaibom WASCO students gets scholarship award for academic excellence

Published

2 days ago

December 22, 2025

The Tide

In recognition for their academic excellence and innovation, three students of Western Annang Secondary Commercial School WASCO, in Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have been honoured with cash awards.

Faith Uwen Uko in SS 2, Goodluck Monday Otobong and God’swill Ndifreke Silas, both in SS3, were awarded scholarships and cash for distinguishing themselves in academics and traits such as curiosity, attention for details and other qualities notable of engineers.

The senior secondary school students were given the award by the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, NSChE, Akwa Ibom/Cross River states chapter, during their end of year dinner and award night held at Helemah Events Center, Uyo, with the theme “The roles of chemical engineers in fostering sustaining health sector.”

They were identified earlier in the year during the society’s visit to the school for career counselling and donation of science equipment, textbooks and stationeries to enhance Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics STEM, education.

The tokens of recognition and awards were presented to the students by the Chairman of Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, Rt.Hon. Edidiong Joseph Inyang, the Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Uyo, Prof Urua Antia, the representative of the Chairman of the occasion, Dr Jeremiah Anietie and the General Manager, Projects, Oilserv Ltd, Chief Augustine Ukpong.

The occasion featured a presentation on medical oxygen production, a dream project of the society aimed at making medical oxygen available at primary health care facilities through out Akwa Ibom state.

Also, a drama by the wives of chemical engineers helped to deepen understanding of the value of medical oxygen project. The NSChE chapter chairman, Mr Ikemesit Orok, led the dignitaries while Prof Esang Esitikot, moderated it.

Other high points of the award night was the award of scholarship to three outstanding chemical engineering students: Mfonido Ransome Bassey from the University of Uyo, Ifeoma Sandra from Akwa Ibom State University and Linus Owogeka Ogar from the University of Calabar.

Also, presentation of recognition awards to some distinguished personalities for their positive impacts on the engineering profession, commitment to corporate social responsibility and invests in human capacity development.

Education

Community seeks government intervention over Herders Occupation Of School

Published

2 days ago

December 22, 2025

The Tide

The people of Omerelu community in Ikwerre local government Area of Rivers state have called on the state government interventions over an alleged Herdsmen taken over the premises of community Secondary School in the area.

This state of the secondary school have left the students of the community displaced.

Speaking to journalists at Omerelu on the occupation of the school by the herdsmen , an opinion leader from the community , Mr Obinichi Amadi, briefed journalists shortly after the commissioning of the Egbeda–Omerelu Link Road by the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, recently .

Amadi claimed that the problem has persisted for months, but was renewed by commissioning of the road renewed which he said, called for urgent government attention.

According to him, the school which is strategically located along the newly inaugurated road has become unsafe as roaming cattle and herdsmen now occupy its classrooms, open fields, and access routes.

Reports have it that some students who attempted to access the premises in recent weeks confirmed that dilapidated buildings, broken desks, and the presence of herders have made learning impossible.

The Community leader further described the development as both an educational and security crisis.

“The takeover of the school by suspected herdsmen poses a direct threat to children and undermines the developmental prospects expected from the newly completed link road. We want Governor, Siminalayi Fubara to come to our aid”, he said.

He also pointed out that the school which was established to serve the Egbeda–Omerelu corridor, has suffered long-term infrastructural decay, creating the vacuum that allowed herdsmen to encroach on the premises.

He further explained that the community has repeatedly appealed for intervention and is now placing renewed hope in the Governor following the commissioning of the road.

“The irony is stark: while the state government has enhanced access into Omerelu with a modern road, the only major secondary school along that axis is non-functional and overrun by intruders. The road should lead not just to mobility but to meaningful development,” he said.

Meanwhile, student representatives lamented the collapse of their learning environment, citing leaking roofs, collapsed walls, overgrown bushes, and the absence of security as reasons many parents have withdrawn their children for safety.

Parents as it was learnt had warned against closing the school completely and added that it could force them to send their children to distant communities for education purposes.

As the newly commissioned road receives accolades, the people of Omerelu are issuing a clear and urgent call saying that the Government Secondary School, Omerelu must be rescued, rehabilitated, and returned to its students.

It was also gathered that the once-thriving citadel of learning has been in this deplorable state for nearly two decades.

By: King Onunwor

Education

Rivers NYSC Cordinator task corps members on peace building

Published

2 weeks ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

Corps Members have been urged to use the rich cultural heritage of Nigerians to promote peace in the state and country at large.

The Rivers State Coordinator of NYSC Mr. Moses Oleghe gave the charge during the inter-platoon cultural carnival competition for 2025 Batch C Corps Members deployed to the State orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam Tai held over the weekend.

Oleghe while addressing the Corps Members, further charged them to be a “source of light in their host communities,” noting that the “symbolic lighting of the cultural carnival torch means that every Corps Member must be the light that dispels darkness.”

He urged them to integrate and internalize the culture of the people of their area where they serve, strengthen cultural practices that promote human dignity, rights, and respect.”

The radiant and colorful event witnessed the regeneration and rebirth of various ethnic cultures by the Corps Members.

At the end of the competition, 4 platoon was adjudged the overall best, 9 platoon 2nd and 6 platoon 3rd.