Education
JAMB Under-Paid Us In CBT Examinations
Owners of centres
used for this year’s University Matriculation and Tertiary Examination (UMTE) Computer-Based Test (CBT) examinations have cried out that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) under-paid them at the end of the exercise.
In an investigation carried out by The Tide, some of the centre owners alleged that while they were paid N600 per candidate, JAMB made them to spend more than what they were paid.
Some of them explained that in order for them to qualify as a centre, JAMB made them provide such facilities as Visat software for uploading JAMB question paper, Close Circuit Television (CCTV) monitor, desktop computers, and also more technical staff to enhance officiating the exams.
“We invested so much in order to be approved as centres. But at the end of the day, we couldn’t even afford to pay technical staff we had to employ in order to execute the exams. The money JAMB paid us was too meager”, one of them said.
When contacted, the zonal coordinator of JAMB in Port Harcourt, Mrs. Beatrice Etta-Nyiam, debunked the allegations by the centre owners, noting that at the end of the day some of the centres only contributed to the challenges JAMB faced during the CBT exams.
“We gave them conditions that must be met before their centres will be approved, and it is this criteria that we used in our dealings with them, which are legal”, she said.
Mrs. Etta-Nyiam listed the conditions to include that each of the centres should have functional desktop computers or cable LAN, competent technical/security and administrative personnel and an effective cooling system.
Others are that the centres must have anti-virus and moxilla fire fox browser, UPS or inverter, and efficient/reliable lighting system.
The implication of this, the zonal coordinator explained, was that they (centre owners) accepted these and other conditions as well as the payment of N600 per candidate, hence “their allegation of being under-paid is not true”, she said.
Stories by Sogbeba Dokubo
NCE Students of Federal College of Education Gombe at the 2014/2015 academic session matriculation in Gombe last Saturday.
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.