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‘Help Develop Children’s Interest In Sciences’ …As STAN 60th Confab Opens In PH , Today
The Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, has urged science teachers in the state to help the Rivers child develop interest in the core science subjects.
The deputy governor stated this during a courtesy visit to her by members of the Rivers State chapter of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN) at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
Banigo, who said she was pleased to note that a Rivers indigene, late Mr. Fenibo Ajumogobia, who taught Physics and Mathematics in Kings College, Lagos, as far back as 1957, was the founding father of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, also said that the STAN has put Rivers State on the global map.
The deputy governor, who expressed worries that children no longer have interest in Science and Mathematics, said ”These days, our children don’t seem to be interested in Science and Technology anymore.
“There is so much falling standard in Mathematics and engineering; it’s a bit saddening because that is the direction the whole world is going. Whatever you can do to propagate enhanced interest of our children in these core science subjects, government is ready to support you”, she said.
Banigo advised the science teachers to do more advocacy in churches, families and in any area they can to see that standards in the core subjects are brought up to speed in the schools.
She said teachers must go for training and retraining to equip themselves in order to impart knowledge that will enable the children compete favourably with their peers from other climes, stressing that teachers at all levels must avoid absenteeism and remain in the classrooms to teach the children.
According to Banigo, the education-loving Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has more or less declared an emergency in the education sector in order to reverse the backward trend education had suffered in the recent past.
“Our education-loving governor knows what it takes to improve education, having been a minister of education in the country himself; that is why he is renovating 175 primary schools, secondary schools, and has paid up the counter-part funding for the State Universal Primary Education Board, which was not paid for several years”, she disclosed.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), Mr. Amadi Ebenezer, had said the Rivers State chapter of the association will be hosting the STAN 60th Anniversary Conference in Port Harcourt between August 14th and 19th.
According to him, STAN is a non-profit making body with no religious bias, whose aim is focused in building the capacity of all Science, Technology, and Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers through training and retraining programmes.
He acknowledged the developmental strides of the Wike-led administration, saying ”STAN joins well-meaning people to congratulate the governor for the giant strides in educational development of the state, especially regular payment of salaries of teachers and renovation works of some secondary schools with new facilities”.
The Mayor of Housing, My-ACE China, has teamed up with a renowned hospital group in Port Harcourt, the Meridian Hospitals, which is in partnership with the Pilgrims Health Foundation, to carry out a one-day medical outreach last Tuesday.
The free treatment scheme took place at Oromenike Government Girls Secondary School in D-Line, Port Harcourt, with over 100 persons accessing free treatments, including free eye-glasses and booking for eye surgeries.
Other areas of treatment included general health consultations and treatment; blood pressure and sugar level testing; malaria testing and treatment; free prescriptions; preventive health talks focusing on hygiene, maternal health, and nutrition.
The scheme was conducted under the theme: ‘Bringing Healthcare to the Community.’
Newsmen who visited the venue of the scheme found that enthusiastic beneficiaries had thronged the area as early as 7a.m. After setting up, the medical team began attending to the patients.
Mr. Jerry Onwuso, a 63-year-old patient, who was first to see eye doctors and got eye glasses and drugs, told newsmen that he was pleased with the medical intervention.
He made it clear he did not pay any money to get all the treatments and glasses, and pleaded that the scheme be sustained.
Another patient, Loveth Sam, expressed satisfaction with the scheme and appealed to the sponsors to continue to increase the benefits.
Throwing some light on the scheme, Mr. China said he worked in Meridian Hospitals as a Lab. Scientist 19 years ago, but resigned because he could not bear to see patients struggling for life because they had no money to pay for treatment.
He said he came back to help extend free medical treatment to the less privileged.
Sources said China was always having issues with the hospital authorities when he would insist on critical patients being allowed to be treated first, with or without money.
Years later, China, who now goes by a brand name, the Mayor of Housing, returned to the Meridian Hospital headquarters to support free medical scheme.
He also went the next day to the headquarters of Meridian, after the one-day medical outreach, to give cash gifts and palliatives to workers he met when he worked there but had remained in service since he left.
He encouraged them to continue to give their all to humanity through the hospital. The Mayor of Housing called most of them by name and a cloud of emotions descended on them during the reunion.
Appreciating the gesture, the Founder and Chief Medical Director, Dr. Iyke Odo, said China had always manifested hard-work, ambition, and impulsive giving.
According to him, the then young bright boy was full of humanity, kindness, love, and made friends easily, adding that “not everybody that gives is a giver. The difference is that givers are given to give.”
Dr. Odo used the opportunity to call on governments to review Nigeria’s health insurance system and make it work in Nigeria to save lives.
He said it was sad watching critically sick persons abandoned because they did not have money for treatment.
He also condemned harsh tax and electricity tariffs whereby facilities like his now pay N12 million instead of N500,000 few years back.
He wondered why hospitals were being made to pay tariffs like oil companies, citing many other countries where medical facilities were placed on low rates and tariffs so they could charge moderate fees from patients.
The Renewed Hope Initiative in conjunction with the Rivers State Government has empowered 500 elderly citizens in Rivers State with financial support of N200,000 each.
The empowerment programme was part of activities to celebrate the third anniversary of the Renewed Hope Initiative Elderly Support Scheme RHIESS, a social investment policy initiated by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Speaking at the event which held at the Government House, Port Harcourt, recently, under the theme, ‘Finding Joy in Old Age,’ Senator Tinubu said the gesture which has become traditional since 2023 was a mark of gratitude in recognition of the invaluable contributions of the senior citizens to nation building.
The First Lady who was represented by the wife of the Rivers State Governor and State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Lady Valerie Fubara, said the scheme was to “support two hundred and fifty (250) vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 and above in all the 36 states of the federation, the Federal Capital Territory, and veterans from the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) totalling 9,500 selected beneficiaries across the nation.
She urged the beneficiaries to engage in activities that will make them find joy in old age.
“I encourage you to continue playing your part by staying healthy and active, nurture both your body and mind through regular exercise and meaningful engagement,” Senator Tinubu advised.
On her part, Lady Fubara said the State Government through the magnanimity of the governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has increased the beneficiaries of the programme from 250 to 500.
She restated the commitment of the State Government towards provision of social welfare and improving the standard of living of the elderly in the State.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), Dr Vetty Agala, said the State Government has through the Health4allrivers Initiative, introduced free medical care for senior citizens in the State, in line with the Renewed Hope Initiative.
