Education
RVHA To Review Education Laws
The Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Education, says it is passionate about the education of the state and has agreed to intervene seriously.
The Chairman, Hon Augustine Ngo made the remarks at a one-day public hearing on Rivers State Education Bill, 2013, organised for stakeholders and indeed the general public in Port Harcourt last Wednesday.
Hon Ngo noted that there had been a lot of decay in both private and public schools, adding that the committee was re-engineering the education process.
The lawmaker insisted that the aim of the public hearing was to have a holistic approach to education, explaining that the laws that were already existing were handed down from the Eastern part of Nigeria laws, practised by previous governments which have been adopted by laws of Rivers State.
He described Ambassador Nne Kurubo’s Model Secondary School, Eleme, as the best, with the existence of a smart class where students are taught with the right instructional materials and conducive environment.
The House committee on education chairman, maintained that the laws have been there for long hence there is need for review.
He was optimistic that at the end of the day, a lot would have been achieved and education would be taken to high levels and Rivers State would become number one.
Also speaking, the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, said the bill was important not just to the ministry of education as a body but as human beings.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Richard Ofuru, the commissioner said the greatest thing the ministry owes human being is capacity building.
According to her, once you get it right, in the area of human capacity building, then we get it right in the society.
She expressed optimism that if it is taken seriously, then a lot of benefits would be derived from it.
In his own contribution, the Executive Secretary, Readers Project, Dr Tony Enyia, advocated that children should be taught with vernacular at the primary school level.
Dr Enyia explained that when children are taught with indigenous language, they tend to perform well in mathematics.
The coordinator, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, (TRCN) Rivers State Chapter, Mr Elechi stated that TRCN ensures that registered teachers teach in schools.
He revealed that 80 to 90 per cent of teachers in public schools are qualified, because according to him, government is sure of teachers it is employing into the system.
He lamented that 50 per cent of the teachers in the private schools are not qualified to teach, calling on government to assist TRCN to ensure that qualified teachers are employed into the private schools in the state.
He explained that TRCN has a registrar at the national level who ensures that all teachers in primary and secondary schools are registered and licensed while a coordinator is in charge at the state level.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
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.