Education
WBD: Don Charges Public To Read
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
The Covenant University (CU) has, for the second time, been rated as the best university in Nigeria.
According to Times Higher Education‘s 2024 rating, Covenant Unirersity, as a growing, dynamic vision-driven university, founded on a Christian mission ethos and committed to pioneering excellence at the cutting edge of learning, is among the top 1,000 universities in the world.
The 2024 ranking includes 1,906 universities across 108 countries and regions. The Ranking Website indicates that the grading was compiled based on their new World University Ranking (WUR) 3.0 methodology which includes 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across five areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook.
Analysis of the latest ranking on Thursday showed that the university based in Ota, Ogun State, is following on the ranking by the University of Ibadan (UI) as the second-best in the country, with the Federal University of Technology, Akure clinching the third position.
Currently ranked 801st university in the world, CU first gained prominence in 2018 after it emerged as the best university in Nigeria and the sixth-best university overall.
The ranking webpage explained that the site is trusted worldwide by students, teachers, governments, and industry experts, adding that the 2024 league table reveals how the global higher education landscape is shifting.
It stated thus; “This year’s ranking analysed more than 134 million citations across 16.5 million research publications and included survey responses from 68,402 scholars globally. Overall, we collected 411,789 data points from more than 2,673 institutions that submitted data”.
Meanwhile, also captured on the list of universities with the top rating in Nigeria are the University of Ilorin, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Afe Babalola University, and the University of Benin.
Others include the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Lagos State University, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Obafemi Awolowo University, and the University of Port Harcourt.
Available statistics showed that of the 15 top universities in the country, nine are located in the South West region, two in the South-South region, two in the South East region, one in the North Central zone, and one in the North West zone. Interestingly, the North-East zone was conspicuously missing from the list.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) have raised an alarm over fake sites for the ongoing printing of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Notification Slip which contains vital information such as the date, venue, and time of candidates’ examinations.
In a joint briefing by the NPF and JAMB recently in Abuja, candidates are enjoined to patronise only the approved sites by the JAMB, so as not be defrauded.
The Force Spokesman, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who signed a press release on behalf of the two Government agencies said: “The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) hereby bring to the attention of the public the ongoing printing of the 2024 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) Notification Slip which contains vital information such as the date, venue, and time of candidates’ examinations.
“Unfortunately, the emergence of several fake websites created by unscrupulous individuals with the intention of misleading candidates has been observed necessitating this joint press briefing.
“These fake sites are designed to deceive innocent candidates into providing personal details such as registration numbers, email addresses, and phone numbers. These details are then exploited for malicious purposes.
“Both JAMB and the Nigeria Police Force condemn these fraudulent activities and hereby reiterate the readiness to safeguard the interests of candidates and maintain the integrity of the examination process.
“We urge parents, guardians, and all stakeholders to ensure that candidates print their UTME Notification Slips only from the Board’s approved website: www.jamb.gov.ng. Candidates can print their slips from the comfort of their homes or visit any of the over 700 accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres nationwide.
“It is important to note that we are familiar with the tactics employed by these fraudsters, especially during the annual assessment and admission exercises. We are actively sensitizing candidates and the public about these deceptive practices.
“Any candidate who visits these fake sites will definitely have unreliable information and thereby miss out in the forthcoming exams.’’
“Candidates are advised to print their UTME Notification Slips before Friday, 19th April, 2024, to access vital information about their examinations. Any website other than www.jamb.gov.ng offering UTME slip printing services is fake and designed to defraud candidates. Candidates should also beware of sites offering ‘live’ questions and answers, as they are false and deceptive, and accessing such materials is prohibited.
“The 2024 UTME is scheduled to commence on Friday, 19th April, and end on Monday, 29th April, 2024. We call on parents, guardians, and the general public to join hands in fostering a culture of integrity and compliance with established guidelines. Together, we can nurture a generation of upright and law-abiding leaders by discouraging fraudulent practices and desperation.
“Furthermore, JAMB is partnering with the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) to address online scam-related issues seamlessly. We assure candidates and the public of our firm dedication to ensuring a fair and transparent examination process.
“In addition, the Inspector General of Police has ordered the NPF-NCCC to go after scammers and fraudsters who engage in cyber related crimes and create phishing sites/portals, and cause them to face the full wrath of the law”.
The authorities of the Rivers State University (RSU),Nkpolu Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt says it will commence the First semester examinations.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Acting Registrar of the university, Mrs. I. B. S. Harry and made available to Dean’s and Heads of Departments, adding that the the examinations were earlier shifted to begin today from its initial date of last Monday to enable students who were yet to complete their registration and pay the necessary approved fees and give all students equal opportunity to participate in the examinations.
The statement reads “This is to inform all staff and students of the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, that the First Semester Examination for the 2023/2024 academic session earlier scheduled to commence on Monday, 8th April, 2024, has been shifted to Monday, 15th April, 2024.”
“The change in date of the Examination is to enable students who are yet to pay stipulated fees/ charges and complete their course registration for the First Semester, to do so.”
All students in this category are advised to utilise the period to make necessary fee payments as well as course registration.”
By: Akujobi Amadi
-
Maritime2 days agoTinubu, Others To Honour Global Transport Roundtable
-
News2 days agoFG To Launch 2,700 CNG Buses, Tricycles Before May 29
-
Politics2 days agoBayelsa Assembly Grills, Confirms Diri’s Commissioner- Nominees
-
Focus2 days agoRe-Igniting Rivers Agricultural Stakes
-
Sports2 days ago
NLO: Khana FC Coach Blames Players For Missing Chances
-
Maritime2 days agoLilypond Customs Exports $236m Worth Items In Q1
-
News2 days agoCameroon Restates Commitment To Partner Nigeria On Forestry, Wildlife Conservation
-
Politics2 days agoLG Chairman-Elect Blames Insecurity On Parental Failure