Education
Oyo To Reintroduce Open-Day In Public Primary Schools
The Oyo State Government has announced plans to reintroduce the open-day system in public primary schools across the state.
The Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr Nureni Adeniran, said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan yesterday through the state Ministry of Information.
According to the statement, Adeniran disclosed this during his state-wide interactive session with Head-teachers in the state.
He said when reintroduced, the Open-Day will give parents opportunity to visit their children in schools to get firsthand insights into their children’s performance.
He said it would also afford parents the opportunity to speak to their children’s teachers on how to further improve those children.
He said the state government would also employ more strategies as part of measures to complement its commitment to improving the basic education sector.
The SUBEB boss said the reintroduced system would be an improved adaptation of the moribund open-day, noting that the system would make parents more responsible towards their children in public schools.
“We will reintroduce the Open-day system into our public schools system, because we realise that this will complement Governor Seyi Makinde’s free education policy.
“Parents need to be responsible for their children’s progress in schools,” he said.
Adeniran, who stressed that being a teacher required patience and great discipline, urged teachers to ensure their pupils compete favourably with their contemporaries in reading and writing skills.
He said the doors of the state government were open to suggestions and ideas that would further build capacity of the teaching workforce in Oyo state.
According to him, the present government is doing so much to improve pupils’ reading culture by providing running grants to schools and building facilities, among others.
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.