Education
Secondary Schools Still Remain Shut In Nasarawa
Public secondary schools in Nasarawa State have remained shut in spite of the embattled Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, MrAbdullahi Adeka, announcing the suspension of workers’ strike on May 26.
By Friday, both teachers and students had not returned to classes, a check by journalists in some schools revealed.
Some newsmen visited were Government Secondary School, Laminga, Nasarawa Local Government Area, and Government Secondary School, Uke in Karu Local Government Area.
Others are Government College, Keffi in Keffi Local Government Area and Government Secondary School Akwanga in Akwanga Local Government Area.
The situation in the schools, however, contrasts with what obtains in some sectors of the public service, such as health, judiciary, which are still functional.
The labour union had called out the workers on an indefinite strike on May 12 over the payment of their salary arrears, payment of their full salaries, among others entitlements.
On May 26, Adeka, who was removed as the Chairman of the union, announced the suspension of the strike and said the government had begun meeting the demands of the workers.
But on May 27, Mr Bala Umar, who replaced him, urged workers not to resume work, insisting that the government had yet to meet their demands.
On Monday, May 29, Gov. Tanko Al-makura told stakeholders in the state that to the best of his knowledge, the workers were not on strike.
He said that any worker who refused to resume work did their own risk.
Meanwhile, some students have called for understanding between the government and the union to resolve the dispute in the interest of the education sector.
A student, Ibrahim Isah, said the strike was a setback to education sector.
“The on-going workers’ strike has affected our education negatively as academic activities have stopped in secondary schools and it may likely affect NECO examination in the state.
“The strike is unfortunate; no student will be comfortable staying at home,
‘’That is why I want to use this medium to appeal to the state government and the organised labour to dialogue in order to end the strike in our interest,” he said.
Bulus Jatau, another student, said: “we are still at home because of the strike and this is not fair.
‘‘Government should do something about it and the union should also have understanding with the government in order to end the strike,” he said.
Miss Janet Usman also appealed to the government and union to dialogue so as to end the strike.
She said the strike had crippled economic activities and affected the education sector negatively.
Some teachers, who pleaded anonymity, accused the state government of paying lip-service to the education sector.
They said that no nation could achieve speedy development without sound education and urged the state government to meet their demands. (NAN)
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.