Education
School Lauds Wike Over Renovation Project
Pupils, parents and teachers of Community Primary School, Mba in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, have expressed excitement over the award of contract for the rehabilitation of the school by the Universal Basic Education (UBE).
Our correspondent who visited the school last Friday, reports that pupils and teachers as well as parents were in high spirits when the award was announced and lauded Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for the contract.
A primary five pupil in the school, Nnamdi Emeka said, “we are very happy that our school which had been so bad for years will be rehabilitated”, and commended Governor, Nyesom Wike for remembering the school.
Chief Nnadozie Nwuzi who also expressed joy over the award noted that the school which was among the first school in Etche ethnic nationality had been abandoned by past administrations such that the over 15 buildings including staff quarters’ classrooms and administrative blocks all fell down because of lack of care.
“Pupils atimes were studying under the trees and no conducive classrooms but today, I am happy that the story has changed”, he said and lauded the present administration for considering the school for rehabilitation.
He assured the contractor of proper security of their property and co-operation throughout the rehabilitation work.
He disclosed that the school had the largest land space amongst all other government primary schools in Rivers State and appealed to authorities of the UBE, Rivers State and Federal Government to fully develop the school.
Benee Kaanasor Nwinee, of the Project Unit of UBE, who supervises the contract lauded the community for the warm reception accorded the contractor and UBE staff and promised that standard would not be compromised.
Nwinee who is a chartered quantity surveyor stressed the need for people of the area to remain peaceful and to co-operate with the contractor throughout the execution period.
She charged them to shun unnecessary demands as matching ground, stealing of contractors materials as such could force the government to take away the contract to other areas.
On his own part, the Managing Director of Answonders Intergrated Services, Mr Ken Ndukwu, contractor handling the project assured of executing the job according to specification and standard.
Ndukwu who also stressed on the need for peace and co-operation from the community especially the youths said the job has the period of three months to be completed but that his company was prepared to complete the job in two months if condusive environment prevails.
Chris Oluoh
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.