Education
Students Showcase Talent At Christmas Carol
Students of ABEC group
of schools in Port Harcourt, last Thursday, showcased their talents in music, choreography and drama at the carol of nine lessons, organised by the schools as part of activities to celebrate this year’s Christmas season.
At Mary Virginia Nursery and Primary School, Iriebe, one of the schools under the ABEC group, the Orchestra comprising young pupils displayed artistic prowess in their vocal and instrumental presentations of the Christmas carol.
Also at Christy Toby Inclusive Educational Centre, another school under the ABEC group, physically challenged pupils made artistic presentations, such as reading the carol lessons with brail and choreography display.
Speaking to newsmen during the Christmas carol, Head Mistress of the Mary Virginia Nursery and Primary School, Mrs Betty Anorue, said developing the creative talents of children was a fundamental objective in the school to identify budding talents.
She said the Christmas carol was organised to make the children recognise and appreciate the birth of Jesus Christ.
In his remark, the Principal of Christy Toby Inclusive Education Centre, Dr. Oladayo Thompson, said the Christmas Carol was an annual event organised to give the children a sense of appreciation of the Christmas season and to mark the end of the year with fun and get together.
In his remark, the officiating Minister, Rev. Samuel Obialor, who spoke on the theme, “Power to become God’s Own,” said the Carol of Nine Lessons was a review of the prophetic declaration before the birth of Jesus Christ.
The cleric added that, “celebrating Christmas is the fulfilment of divine ordination and endorsement to become God’s own through Jesus Christ.
A grade I pupil, Chiwendu Wobiko, who spoke with The Tide, thanked the school management for organising the carol for the pupils to participate in the celebration of Christmas.
Another pupil, Dennis Uche, said the carol provided the children opportunity to have fun.
Highlights of the programme was special prayers for the school management, parents and Nigeria.
Taneh Beemene
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.