Education
VC Urges Youths To Eschew Vices
Youths have been encouraged to preach against social vices, promote integrity and work towards merit. Acting Vice Chancellor, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Prof. Rosemund Dienye Green-Osahogulu, gave this encouragement when the Proactive Rivers Youth Organisation (PRYO) world-wide paid her a visit at her office, last Thursday.
Prof. Green-Osahogulu urged the youths to reach out to militants and criminals and charged them to be contented and deemphasise wealth at all cost as greed sets in when contentment is thrown out.
She identified religion, tribalism and politics as part of problems facing the country and called on them to tackle these factors by deemphasing them.
The VC said she had sanitised the university by banning the sale of handouts, sale of approved text books at regulated prices, as well as undue award of marks to students stating that only qualified students and staff are presently at the institution.
The university, she stated, was about to reach an agreement with four universities in the United States of America that have indicated interest to collaborate and partner with it and enjoined all stakeholders to join hands to reposition the institution, pointing out that the university is a special place for training of role models who would train generations yet to come.
She intimated them of the ongoing laboratory and lecture theatre projects in the school as she pointed out that she was determined to put in place befitting structures in the university despite its lean resources.
Earlier, President General of the body, Comrade Agbo Chiemele, who described the Acting Vice Chancellor as an achiever, philanthropist, seasoned administrator, a mother of repute, disclosed that her distinguished achievements in the academic sector had impacted positively on the lives of many people.
He lauded her programmes which he said were geared towards promoting peace, quality service and zero tolerance for cultism which they observed has abated since she came on board, thereby enhancing the high academic and moral performance by the students.
Comrade Agbo later presented an award of excellence to the Acting Vice Chancellor in recognition of her outstanding contribution and service to humanity, organisation, and innovative solution towards promoting mutual understanding and relationship between students and the university management and excellent performance in discharge of duties by workers.
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.