Education
NURSS Wants Upward Review Of Bursary
The National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS) has appealed to the Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to review the bursary allowances being given to its members.
Secretary of the union, Comrade Ogu Russell who made the appeal yesterday in an interview with The Tide said the Nine Thousand Eighty Naira (9,800) being paid a member per session should be reviewed to thirty Thousand Naira (30,000) to enable them meet some basic needs.
Comrade Russell noted that the bursary has been static for the past decades while some other states had reviewed their own bursary severally.
Describing Gov. Amaechi as a leader who has strong passion for education, the NURSS scribe appealed to Gov. Amaechi to assist Rivers students by reviewing the allowance for the interest of the students.
The student body also expressed concern over the insecurity problem in the Northern part of the country and urged President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration to take stringent measures against sponsors of the Boko Haram sect.
It regretted that substantial number of those killed by the Boko Haram were students, women and youths and stressed that the insecurity problem was adversely affecting the nation and appealed to Boko Haram sect members to consider the unity of the nation and stop further killing of innocent Nigerians.
Meanwhile, NURSS has suspended its election scheduled to hold at the Elekahia Sports Stadium on Friday 29th March.
A statement by the body dated 27th March 2013 and signed by chairman of the body and secretary Comrade Horsefall Godpower and Ogu Russell respectively enjoined members to be at alert as a new date would be communicated to them and explained that the suspension of the election was for the good interest of the body.
Chris Oluoh
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.