Education
17 Corps Members To Repeat Service In Rivers
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Governing Board in Rivers State, disclosed that 17 corps members of Batch “C” 2009, would repeat their service year for absconding from service.
The Chairman of the Board, Hon. Magnus Abe, who said this over the weekend at the passing out ceremony of Batch “C” 2009 corps members in Port Harcourt, explained that six out of the 17 corps members would only have their service year – extended from two weeks to five months.
Hon. Abe, who is also the Secretary to State Government recommended the six best performing Corps members of the Batch for State Honours Award and promised to award another four best Corps members for outstanding performance in the state.
He urged the Corps members to apply their experiences gathered during the service in their quest to contribute their quota to national development.
The board chairman urged them to allow their one year of national service to prepare them for ardious task of confronting many difficulties of adulthood and told them to always be good ambassadors of the scheme by upholding its lofty ideals.
Hon. Abe further told them to employ opportunities made available by some government agencies and Non-Governmental Agencies (NGO) to be self employed and to strive to employ others in the country.
Earlier, the NYSC State Co-ordinator, Mrs Esther Chimele Wogbo, regretted that one of the corps members of the Batch “C” 2009, Mr. Amanze George Chigozie of RV/09C/1393 died during the service year in the state.
Mrs Wogbo said that late corper Chigozie died while serving with Ministry of Justice in the state and commended the state governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for the support given to the NYSC scheme in the state.
Enoch Epelle
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.