Education
Mass Failure:NUT Blames Poor Reading Culture, Remuneration
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) says poor reading culture by students, poor remunerations to teachers and like warm attitude of parents towards their children’s and ward’s education are the causes of mass failure in school certificate examinations.
This was contained in a communiqué issued recently at the end of the NUT’s 55th delegates conference held at Asaba, the Delta State capital.
While calling on government and all education authorities to do everything possible to tackle this problem of students’ mass failure in school certificate examinations”, the communiqué also identified key problems in the country’s education industry.
Such problems, the NUT said, include inadequate funding, constant policy changes, poor working conditions and environment, and inadequate/poor infrastructures and instructional materials.
It also include poor management of available resources and “a host of others”.
The communiqué noted that “the numerous problems of education in Nigeria have continued to persist alongside “all their devastating effects on the system without any concerted effort by government to mitigate them.”
The communiqué also expressed worry over what it described as “the diminishing attention being given to education by successive governments in the country as clearly exhibited in the declining budgetary allocations to the sector by both federal and state governments.”
It this urged the executive of NUT to “place the problems of education in Nigeria on top of its agenda and explore all possible means of ensuring that education is accorded the proper attention it deserves by governments at all levels.
In another development, the National Programme Coordinator, Curriculum Development, Federal Ministry of Education, Professor Michael Adikwu, identified obsolete curriculum as a major reason for the poor performance of students at the post primary level.
Adikwu, who stated this during the opening ceremony of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Intel Corporation sponsored Sixth Nigeria Secondary Schools Science Fair and Quiz competition in Port Harcourt, disclosed that, “a recent study has shown that the problem of education in Nigeria is that of obsolete curriculum.”
He added that this is so because schools use out dated curriculum in a technology –driven age and it has further pushed the students far behind in their development aspirations.
Professor Adikwu noted the non-adaptability of the existing curriculum to the 21st century developments in the education system, particularly in the context of teaching and learning, stressing that the pace of advancement in Science and Engineering in other countries has left most teachers and students behind in Nigeria.
Sogbeba Dokubo
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.