Education
ASUU Strike, Not Politically Motivated –Sese
Even as the strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) enters its fifth week, the union has contrary to insinuations, declared that the action has no political undertones but rather a protest gainst the deplorable conditions of public universities across the country.
The union further denied that the action was targeted at President Goodluck Jonathan, insisting that politics has nothing to do with its current struggle to draw attention to the poor state of infrastructure and deplorable conditions of teaching and learning at the various universities, with a view to saving the university system from total collapse.
Making the clarification in an interview in Port Harcout last week, the ASUU Chairman at the Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, Dr. Beke Sese said imputing political motives to the current ASUU strike was a calculated attempt by some persons to deploy propaganda gimmicks to the cause of the university teachers in order to divert attention from the real issues that informed the strike in the first place.
To buttress this point, ASUU says the body is organised in such a way that even its President, in spite of where he hails from, cannot call out the union to strike or suspend a strike without recourse to its National Executive Council (NEC), which is vested with such powers.
Besides, the union also believes that none of his members can sway other members towards his or her political inclinations since ASUU is not a political organisation.
While stressing that the ASUU strike, was not politically motivated, Sese noted that it was not the first time in the history of the country that the union had embarked on a protracted strike, adding that ASUU strikes were not predicated on where the President of the country came from.
He recalled that when the present Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega was ASUU President, the country, then, was under the leadership of Late Gen. Sani Abacha, who equally hailed from the North like Prof Jega, pointing out that the ASUU leadership at that time, did not compromise, even when an Emir from the North had waded into the matter. To further debunk the insinuations, Sese noted that the strike action was going on all over the country, even as academic activities in all public universities were grounded.
The ASUU Chairman, however, condemned attempts by some opposition political parties and politicians in the country, including the APC, to cash in on the current strike action to run down the Federal Government and the Presidency, saying, “we are not happy about it. We condemn this kind of behaviour, because people should not politicise ASUU strike, because ASUU strike is not politically motivated”. Sese, therefore, called on all politicians in the country to leave ASUU alone and stop using the current strike action as a tool for pursuing their political ambitions.
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.