Education
Group Urges Synergy Between Government, Missionary Schools
The Old Students Association of the Government Girls Secondary School, Harbour Road, Port Harcourt, now Methodist Girls High School, 1983 batch, has called for synergy between Government and Missionary schools, to fast track development in the educational sector.
President of the Group, Martha Alli made the appeal during the presentation of some equipment donated by the old girls to the Home Economic laboratory of the school at the weekend.
According to the President, the synergy will stimulate a striving collaboration that would enhance standards in academic development.
She said the effort was to encourage the students to have access to equipment in Home nanagement practical to excel in their exams, and also in recognition of their 30th anniversary out of secondary school. The equipment donated include two six burner cookers, and a giant refrigerator. In her response, the Principal of the School, Elder Edna Okpo, thanked the old girls for the gesture, and assured that the equipment provided would be judiciously utilised.
The principal called on other old girls of the school to assist in the development of the school in other measures.
Mrs Okpo, also promised to uphold standards in the school so as to promote academic excellence.
Also speaking, the senior Prefect of the school, Woyimmiebi Austine, thanked the old girls for their concern, and added that the visit would encourage the students to attain greater height in their academic pursuit.
In her remark, the coordinator of the 1983 batch of the school, Mrs Ibinabo Ogolo expressed gratitude to God for reuniting the old girls, 30 years after graduating from the school. She said the group would continue to assist in the development of the school.
A professor of Highway Engineering at the Rivers State University (RSU), Prof. Emmanuel Osilemme Ekwulo, has identified poor designs, inadequate materials, insufficient testing, and lack of accountability as major obstacles to the success of highway construction projects in the country.
Ekwulo made this remark in Port Harcourt last Wednesday during the 128th inaugural lecture series of the university, where he presented a lecture titled “Removing Roadblocks: Rebuilding a Foundation for Reliable Highway Pavement Infrastructure.”
The university don lamented the consistent premature failures of road construction projects nationwide, despite huge investments by the government at all levels, attributing the problem to neglected basics and systemic principles in the industry.
According to him, rebuilding the foundation technically, institutionally, and ethically is crucial to building strong and lasting pavements.
Ekwulo emphasized the need for political will, professional integrity, and commitment to engineering excellence to overcome the challenges.
“The metaphoric roadblocks are those challenges causing premature failures,” Ekwulo said, adding that identifying and addressing these roadblocks is key to rebuilding the nation’s highways.
He recommended that institutions involved in road design and construction adopt a mechanistic-empirical design approach, and develop a comprehensive framework for implementing the Nigerian Imperial and Mechanistic Pavement Design System (NEMPADS) approach.
Ekwulo also advocated for mandatory traffic load analysis, strengthened university-industry collaboration, and funding for applied pavement research.
Corruption, he noted, is a major challenge in the profession, saying severe punitive measures are needed to curb shabby practices leading to premature road failures.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, described Ekwulo’s lecture as interesting and intriguing, highlighting the importance of implementing solutions to Nigeria’s highway challenges.
The Vice Chancellor also described Ekwulo’s proposals as practical and applicable to government and industry stakeholders.
He said the university is committed to research aligned with national development goals, referencing its NDV-12 responsive consortium production framework.
Zeb-Obipi noted that Ekwulo’s recommendations are timely and solution-driven, and will contribute to addressing Nigeria’s highway challenges.
Akujobi Amadi
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