Education
Education: Kaduna Assembly Seeks State Of Emergency
The Kaduna State House of Assembly last Wednesday asked Governor Muhktar Yero to declare a State of Emergency in the education sector, to save it from total collapse.
The call, followed the adoption of the report of the House Commitee on Education, which was mandated in December 2011 to assess the condition of primary and secondary school education in the state.
Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Yunusa Mohammed, said the sector was facing serious challenges and required special intervention.
Mohammed said that the committee had in the course of its investigation, discovered that 43 per cent of teachers in the state were unqualified.
According to him, out of the 38, 800 teachers, greater number of teachers are not qualified to teach, while those qualified have been posted to schools in the urban centres.
He said most schools lack adequate teachers, class rooms, offices and furniture, adding that the situation was worse in Sanga and Birnin Gwari local government areas.
On secondary education, the chairman said the 527 secondary schools in the state have only 8,396 teachers and 824 non teaching staff.
He said the number was inadequate to meet the educational needs of students, adding that this had contributed to the poor performance of student in WAEC and NEC0 examinations.
Our correspondent reports that the lawmakers were unanimous in adopting the report.
The sitting, presided by the Speaker, Alhaji Muazu Gangara, agreed that the state government should declare a state of emergency in the sector, so as to equip the schools, retrain the teachers and provide basic infrastructure for learning.
Earlier in his contribution, Alhaji Balarabe Jigo, representing Kakangi constituency, described the high number of unqualified teachers as “a hazard to attaining quality education”.
Another member, Alhaji Bala Yunusa representing Tudun Wada constituency, called for thorough investigation to determine how funds appropriated to the sector were managed.
Mr Kantiok Irimiya, representing Zonkwa constituency, argued that unless policy makers are compelled to enrol their children in public schools, the situation would only get worse.
“If policy makers do not enrol their children in those schools we are going back to square zero,” he said.
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.