Education
Group Hails Quality Of Public Schools In Rivers
The Co-ordinator of Medical Women Association of Nigeria, PHALGA Chapter, Dr Bernadette Korubo has commended the standard of education in Rivers State.
Dr Korubo made the commendation at the first round of debate amongst schools in the State. She urged the students to be detribalised and value people for who they are and not the money they have.
The debate, which took place simultaneously at the Port Harcourt City Council and the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, was part of the activities put together by the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Rivers State branch, as part of activities marking its annual medical week celebration.
Also speaking, the Directors Publications of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Juliet Njiowhor lauded the schools that participated in the debate, stressing that it was amazing to see the tenacity and intelligence displayed by students of government-owned schools, alongside their counterparts in private schools.
She urged the students and teachers of the various public and private schools to keep up the good work, noting that the upgrade of Rivers State in West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) from about 20th position to fourth in the results released this year was encouraging.
Also speaking, Director in General Education, Mr Reginald Osigbo thanked the Medical Women Association of Nigeria for its foresight in organising such an intellectual activity and urged it to keep it up, while commending the students for their performance.
Head of Department, Education in the PHALGA Council, Mr Phillip Jaja also expressed satisfaction with the performance of the participants especially those from the government- owned schools even as he thanked the organisers of the debate.
The highlight of the event was the debate, and presentation of prizes to the winners of the Junior and Secondary categories. The junior category was won by Community Secondary School, Nkpolu Oroworukwo, with 138 points, while Royal Girls Academy came second with 132 points.
In the senior category, Our Lady of Fatima Secondary School came 1st with 169 points, while Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama came second with 152 points.
The second and final round of the debate, holds on Wednesday, the 26th of September at the Medical Women’s Complex, East-West Road, Port Harcourt and the debate will be between the winners of Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor zones.
Juliet Njiowhor
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.