Education
Lecturer Wants FG To Rescind Decision On NECO
A Senior lecturer in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Dr Okechukwu Nwaubani, on Thursday urged the Federal Government to rescind its decision to scrap the National Examination Council (NECO).
Nwaubani of the Department of Social Science Education told newsmen in Nsukka that the council’s existence was in the interest of education.
According to him, scrapping NECO will be a setback on the present administration’s commitment to improve the quality of education in the country.
“The advent of NECO has made West African Examination Council (WAEC), to improve on organising the external examination since it knows that candidates have on other alternative.
“Scrapping of NECO may reduce the number of candidates who have access to external exams in a year.
“If NECO is scrapped the monopoly WEAC will enjoy may affect quality of external secondary school exam in the country.”
Nwaubani said that government should remember that NECO is the only exam body owned by the country since WAEC is West African body and advised government to rescind its decision to scrap NECO in the interest of quality education,” he said.
The don, however, said that scrapping the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam was a welcome decision.
Nwaubani noted that it would spare candidates from wasting money in sitting for JAMB as well as post-UTME exam screening adding that the step would be a boost to university autonomy.
“The public can now hold tertiary institutions responsible for their graduates since they conduct entrance exams for candidates themselves,” he said.
Also reacting to scarping of NECO, the Commissioner for Education in Enugu State, Dr Simon Ortuanya, said that there was no cause for alarm.
Ortuanya noted that government could have weighed the consequences very well before arriving at the decision.
“After all, before the establishment of NECO, WAEC was the only external exam body and it was doing well.”
According to Ortuanya, having many exam bodies is good but having an effective and reliable one is better
“I know government could have consulted widely before arriving at scrapping of NECO and stopping of JAMB exam.”
The Commissioner said that stopping of JAMB exam will give tertiary institutions full right to conduct admission exams for candidates who want to study in their institutions.
“Nigerians should support government policies since they are targeted at giving the best to citizens,” he said.
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.