Education
We Are Not Striking For Salary- ASUU Boss
The striking lecturers of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu, Port Harcourt have said that they are not demanding for double or consolidated salary from the Rivers State Government.
Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the state university, Dr. Felix Igwe who made the clarification in exclusive interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt last week explained that the lecturers are demanding for the implementation of the agreement reached between the federal government and ASUU for federal and state universities since 2009.
Dr. Igwe further said that a section of the agreement deals with salary structure in the university system in the country including state owned universities.
Besides, he pointed out that there are sections of the agreement which stipulate how university should be adequately funded depending on the students enrolment and programmes run by the university.
Others include establishment of budget monitoring committee to be drawn from representatives of students union, academic and non-academic staff and university governing council, retirement age for professors and health insurance scheme among others.
Describing the agreement as all inclusive for the proper running of the university system the ASUU boss said it was wrong for anybody to narrow their agitation to money or any other favour from the government.
The ASUU boss, however, assured that the striking lecturers are ever ready to dialogue with the state government in order to end the four months old industrial dispute now rocking the university.
Also, he claimed that inspite of the favourable disposition of ASUU for dialogue on the implementation of the agreement, no government official had approached the union in any dialogue as to how to resolve the industrial dispute.
Although, he acknowledged that strike was not the best option to address the matter but said the union adopted it when the union allegedly exhausted all avenues to prevail on the government.
“We are saying that given that it is possible that all aspects of the agreement may not be implementable immediately, we can dialogue to agree that this is what you can implement now and this is what you can implement later”, Dr. Igwe emphatically stated.
Dr. Igwe used the opportunity to thank members of Rivers State Advisory Council for intervening in the matter while appealing to other stakeholders in the state to join hand in saving the university from being isolated by other universities in the country which are centrally regulated.
Isaac Nwankwo
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.