Education
UNIPORT To Establish Insurance, Enterpreneur Depts
The University of Port
Harcourt is billed to establish two more departments in the Faculty of Management Sciences in no distant time.
Dean of the faculty, Professor Emeka Okereke, made the revelation recently when the Department organised its activities as part of activities lined up to celebrate 40 years of academic excellence in the university.
While commending the management of the University for muting the idea of a 4oth anniversary celebrations in his welcome address, Professor Okereke noted the significant strides the faculty has recorded since its inception, adding that it is in line with such developments that the two new departments will be established soon.
“The faculty has made significant progress since it was established in 1980. It started as a Graduate School of Management and today, we have five departments. Plans have reached advanced stages to establish two more departments, namely, Insurance and Entrepreneurship.
“At the moment, the proposed department of insurance has received provisional approval from the Senate Committee on Academic Policies and Programmes (SCAPP), while the proposed department of the entrepreneurial studies is still being evaluated for possible approval”, he said.
Declaring open the event which was held at the faculty’s parking lot, the vice chancellor of the university, Professor Joseph Ajienka, commended the faculty for keying into the university’s landmark celebration by organising a week-long event.
“The faculty of management sciences has contributed immensely to the overall growth of the university and we are very proud of your achievements since inception.
“We congratulate you on this landmark celebration and it is our hope that you will also develop your own strategic plan that would engineer future growth in the faculty to tackle the challenges of the next 40 years,” the VC said.
He used the fora to charge the faculty to improve on its present achievements for not only the advancement of the department, but the university at large.
“Our expectation is that older faculty members would continue to mentor your academics and students to excel in teaching and research staff of the faculty should raise worthy role models that people can look up to as pillars of support in the years ahead.
“We need to expand our coast by making ourselves a more attractive brand to stakeholders in the affairs of the university. Despite the negative views of some implacable critics about the university, there are still many people who want to get that professional management experience from the faculty.
“You have a huge captive market that is yet to be fully tapped and this anniversary celebration offers you a rare opportunity to advertise your potentials to stakeholders. We want to encourage the faculty to take advantage of available opportunities to position itself as one of the best in this university”, he said.
The occasion attracted stakeholders from within and outside the university.
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.