Education

WBD: Don Charges Public To Read

Published

11 years ago

March 2, 2015

As the world marks
this year’s World Book Day (WBD) last Thursday, a lecturer in the Rivers State College of Arts and Science, Port Harcourt, Dr Gbule, Ndidi, has called on the reading public to read.
Dr Gbule, who spoke with The Tide exclusively, noted that the World Book Day is a good initiative aimed at encouraging people to read.
While commenting the initiatives of the WBD, he noted that Nigerians currently have a poor reading habit, hence, “reading at least a book a day could improve our reading culture”.
He explained that “for us in Nigeria, the reading culture is dying. Gone are the days when people read.
Therefore, the WBD will reawaken the reading culture of Nigerian’s. There is, infact, the need to inculcate in Nigerians a reading culture, which will invariably enhance communication”, he said.
Dr Gbule, however, decried the fact that most people in Nigeria “depend on plagiarising materials from the internet, forgetting that those things on the internet were written by people who have read.”
Stressing the importance of reading, a public commentator, Dr Amina Fiberisima stated that books should be the best of friend of any reasonable person.
“If you don’t like book, try ignorance. If you don’t want to buy books, go and buy ignorance”, he said.
According to him, “people should know that the treasures of this world, the wealth of this world, the wisdom of this world that has taken any individual or nation forward is in books.
“So, when you are friendly with books, you are acquiring knowledge, you are expanding your frontiers of wisdom. Nobody will intimidate you because the power of knowledge is more than the power of gun”, he said.
Dr Fiberisima, therefore, urged the public to in recognition of marking of the WBD to encourage themselves to learn how to buy books to read.
“In this context, if you get a newspaper (and read), you are acquiring knowledge. Afterall, there are articles put together as collection of books”.
On his part, a lecturers in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Dr Felix Igwe, acknowledged the fact that, like other events, WBD is also given a special day.
Dr Igwe noted that, “there is the need for that kind of emphasis, knowing that books are beginning to get extinct, as it were, although we are all talking about books now.
Now that we are going into the technological age in which they talk about soft and hard copy, you still cannot do without the hard copy because that is where the repository of knowledge has to be relied on.
“In celebrating the WBD therefore, it is very important to highlight that books have always been what has kept us the way we are now.
In this age, we shouldn’t do away with it. We should keep the legacy, which is one way to ensure sustainability of our knowledge today and the one we are going to acquire tomorrow,” he said.
From the perspective of a part one student of mathematics/statistics, in the University of Port Harcourt, Banimibo-Ofori Georgewill, WBD should serve as a reminder to the world of our appointment with reading and make us want to read in order to explore more knowledge.
It is a period when everybody should not only know, but also appreciate the benefit of reading throughout the year,” he said.
The WBD is a celebration of Authors, illustration of books and most importantly a celebration of reading.
It is the biggest celebration of its kind designated by the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, marked in over 100 countries globally.
This year’s edition, with the theme, “Read the World”, is the 18th.

Stories by Sogbeba Dokubo

Students of Edo School of Nursing protesting the suspension of their Student Union Government, unconducive hostel environment, striking lecturers as well as absence of maintenance and security personnel at the school hostels in Benin last Friday

Education

RIVCHPP Set To Take Health Insurance Scheme To Tertiary Institutions In Rivers State

Published

4 days ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), the state health insurance agency, is set to take the health insurance scheme to schools, especially tertiary institutions, in the state.

This disclosure was made by the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala, when she led a team from RIVCHPP on an advocacy visit to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education on Friday, 16th January 2026.

Dr. Agala, who solicited authorisation from the Ministry for RIVCHPP to write to the institutions under Ministry’s mandate so as to begin enrolment of students in the various schools , said that for the health insurance agency to expand universal health coverage of the state, then students need to be enrolled into the programme.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary announced that the agency has also started talks with the State branch of Nigeria Association of Proprietors of Private Secondary Schools (NAPPSS) to ensure that no one in the state is left out from having the opportunity of accessing quality healthcare services without passing through financial hardship.

Dr. Agala also commended the innovative policies that the Permanent Secretary have brought to bear towards improving the educational exploits in the state, saying that the changes align to the interest and mandate of Governor Siminialayi Fubara stance on education.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary appreciated the Permanent Secretary for giving the team audience, pledging her team’s dedication and commitment to clients’ satisfaction, calling on schools to embrace the S-SHIP package dedicated for the well-being of students in Rivers State.

In her remarks and response, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr.(Mrs. ) Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, who warmly welcomed the RIVCHPP team, promised to share with and disseminate all information about RIVCHPP to all public schools in the state so that the schools will be willing to give RIVCHPP opportunity to sensitise them on what RIVCHPP is all about and the benefits of signing up with RIVCHPP.

Dr. Uzoma-Nwogu advised RIVCHPP to be proactive and consistent in the mandate of providing affordable and quality health care to Rivers residents.

The visit witnessed a presentation of RIVCHPP’s sensitisation/campaign materials to the Permanent Secretary by RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary

Education

University Don wants AI to be made compulsory course

Published

4 days ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

A university don, Prof. Sunday Olatunji, has argued that Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be made a compulsory course for all students in higher institutions across Nigeria, irrespective of their field of study

He also called on Nigeria and Africa to build an intelligent, inclusive and technologically sovereign future to elevate human potential through artificial intelligence.

To achieve these goals, the Professor of Artificial Intelligence urged the nation and continent to: institutionalize capacity building for AI excellence; develop functional policy and ethical frameworks for responsible AI; build artificial intelligence literacy and workforce development; make AI a general course in all higher institutions; promote no-code

AI and machine learning pathways for beginners; develop public-private-academic partnerships; and build inclusive and culturally grounded AI.Prof. Olatunji, who is ranked by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as the Best AI Researcher in Nigeria (2025), made these statements on Tuesday, while delivering the 53rd Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, held at the University Multipurpose Hall.

The lecture was titled, Symbiosis of Mind and Machine: Harnessing AI for National Development.He stressed that artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction but a reality that permeates every stratum of human life. “Just as Computer Appreciation became a national requirement decades ago, the time has come for AI Appreciation as a compulsory General Studies (GST) course.

This course should introduce all students, regardless of discipline, to aspects of AI including: AI fundamentals, machine learning concepts, applications of AI in their respective fields, ethical implications of AI, and its role in national development, among others,” he said.

The lecturer called on governments to establish AI innovation hubs in all tertiary institutions and research centres; promote cross-disciplinary collaboration integrating computing; provide national research grants focused on AI solutions for local challenges; and recruit and train faculty specialised in AI, machine learning, data science, robotics, and computational intelligence.

Prof. Olatunji allayed fears that AI could replace humans or end humanity, positing that, “Many fear that the rise of artificial intelligence signals the decline of human relevance – that the machine might replace the mind. But history teaches otherwise. Every technological revolution – from the printing press to electricity, from the internet to AI – has not diminished humanity but rather redefined it.

Today, AI diagnoses diseases, predicts the weather, translates languages, and protects nations.

Prof. Olatunji has garnered from far and wide and commended his role in setting up the Faculty of Computing and for doing a yeoman’s job as its founding Dean.

The Vice Chancellor also noted that Prof. Olatunji is a well-respected and accomplished academic and researcher who has carved an enviable niche for himself in the digital world of computing and artificial intelligence.

Education

FG, ASUU Set Date to Sign Agreement

Published

2 weeks ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government is set to formally sign an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities following weeks of negotiations.

The development may be linked to the 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff proposed by the FG last month and accepted by the union.

A circular issued by the Ministry of Education invited Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of federal universities to witness the signing ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Conference Hall, Abuja.

The circular, dated January 5, 2026, and referenced FME/IS/UNI/ASUU/C.11/Vol.V/82, was signed by the Director of University Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, on behalf of the Minister of Education.

It was titled ‘Invitation to the Ceremony for the Signing of Agreement Between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.’

The circular was sighted by our correspondent on Saturday and confirmed by the Ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

“This signing represents a critical milestone in promoting industrial harmony and improving teaching and learning in our universities.

“It also reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to the sustainable development of education in line with the Renewed

Attendance at the ceremony was declared mandatory for all invited university administrators, highlighting the importance attached to the agreement and its implementation.

Last month, the industrial crisis that had burdened Nigeria’s university system for 16 years following the 2009 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement saw the union accept the Federal Government’s proposed 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff.

It was reported that the deal, effective from January 1, 2026, would be reviewed after three years

Why FG Shouldn’t Be Blamed for Non-Implementation of Council Autonomy

Under the new terms, professors will earn a pension equivalent to their final annual salary upon retirement at age 70. The agreement also provides for the establishment of a National Research Council to fund research with at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.

Other provisions include improved funding for libraries, laboratories, equipment and staff development, greater university autonomy, and the election of academic leaders, with only professors eligible to serve as deans and provosts. The pact also guarantees that no staff member involved in past industrial actions will be victimised.