Education
NUC Scribe Explains Nigerians’ Rush For Ghana’s Universities
The Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, has attributed the rush by Nigerians to study in Ghana’s universities to the stability in the country’s education system.
Okojie stated this in Abuja when he received report of the National Review Committee set up to make proposals for accessing the eight- million-dollar grant provided by the World Bank for the African Centres of Excellence (ACE) projects.
He said the instability of Nigeria’s universities’ academic calendar caused by incessant strikes had affected their taking the pride of place in Africa in terms of research and man power development.
Okogie decried the ongoing strike by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), adding that it was unfortunate that proposals for ACE projects were being reviewed when the universities were at a standstill.
” I must say that it is so unfortunate that this is happening at a time doors of the universities are shut and our colleagues who know the benefits are not responsive. “Money is involved, eight million dollars; and if we are able to get those centres, they will help us, just like the Step-B project,” he said.
He noted that the Federal University of Technology, Akure, got a project of seven million dollars remarking that for an institution, this is a big leverage and regretted that while there is money out there begging for people to apply, yet we keep saying there is no funding for universities.
The NUC scribe expressed, I hope that the AU will take a cue from this and initiate a programme to support some of these projects when the fund from the World Bank is finally over.
According to him, the objective of the ACE project is to promote general specialisation among participating universities in areas that address particular regional development challenges and strengthen the capacities of the universities to deliver high quality training and applied research.
It would be recalled that the Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo, with support from the World Bank, have launched the Regional ACE project.
A total of 53 proposals from Nigerian universities covering subjects such as Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Health Sciences and Agricultural Sciences have been received by NUC.
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.