Fakae’s Giant Strides At RSUST

Among Other lofty ob
jectives, the Rivers State Government established the Rivers State University of Science and Technology to offer men and women a unique educational opportunity and experience for the pursuit of learning in the relevant branches of knowledge.
Other reasons for establishing the institution are to improve the appreciation and development of the region’s abundant physical, natural and social resources as well as advancement of her rich cultural heritage through an approach and strategy anchored on excellence and creativity.
But regrettably, it seems  that the University has been struggling for the past 22 years to  perfect the realisation of these purposes due to constant strikes which bedevil tertiary education in Nigeria.
Thus, towards the realisation of its objectives, the Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Professor Barineme Beke Fakae said the present administration of the university is focused in terms of realising  the dreams of the founding fathers of the school in view of the policies and programmes it has so far enunciated to move the school forward.
Fakae said the school is focused to achieve the dreams of  the present administration, assuring that the pursuit of the objectives of the university with renewed vigour and determination cannot be  compromised.
The University which had suffered about 22 strikes since its establishment has taken a new direction  by pursuance of the task of keeping the university on a steady path of growth and establishing linkages with other international universities abroad.
Due to the past experiences of the university, the current administration under Prof. Fakae, has resolved that strike is no more an option in any struggle for better condition of service as it impacts negatively on the institution’s future.
According to him, strike does not only disrupt academic calenders but make students stay longer  than necessary in the school which results to the loss of credibility from schools outside the country.
The Vice Chancellor noted that this resolve is paramount because it does not want to destroy the essence of the school’s existence ,adding that with God on their side ,the gates of the university will not be shut again for the reason of strike.
Teaching and research in the school is ongoing in various faculties while the administration has improved on its ICT master- plan while it has continued to invest heavily on facility upgrading.
The upgrading of school facilities has provided the enabling environment and support for creative academic work.
The current leadership of the school which has built a sense of responsibility in everybody has been  able to transform the institution to attain 100 percent accreditation of all her programmes. It was possible also to move from the 76th position to 19th among universities in Nigeria  due to its recent improvement of her academic curricula, service delivery, improvement  in infrastructure and introduction of Information Communication Technology which has made the university more transparent and attractive to collaborators.
Following the academic excellence the school has achieved in recent times under the leadership of Professor B.B. Fakae,the Socrates Committee of Europe Business Assembly (EBA), Ozford, United Kingdom, has recommended Rivers State University of Science and Technology to be included in the official international registry of leading universities by the Europe Business Assembly which awarded the institution the honour of the “Best University” and the title of “Manager of the Year” to the Vice chancellor,  Prof Fakae.
Fakae was given the award as a result of his effective management programmes implementation, original intellectual and technological innovations application, the policy of the university in the field of quality educational services, implementing up- to-date technologies, level of social focus,  and presence of unique achievements.
Fakae was also recognised by the level of transparency of his work alongside the external perception of the university.
The Award tagged Socrates Award Ceremony which has been scheduled to hold on 17th December is another way of  lifting the image and status of the university which in turn will provide trust and linkages to foreign institutions for collaboration as the leadership of the institution is working towards becoming autonomous and self-reliant.
The Vice Chancellor whose  tenure as Provost at the Rivers State Polytechnic was cut short due to the urgent call to revive and reposition the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, no doubt, has lived up to the expectation of the government and people of Rivers State.
During the Silver Jubilee Convocation of the institution ,many graduating students were happy, but the institution’s visitor, the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi reminded students and lecturers that the university was established for researc. “it is not enough that we are building houses, hostels, offices and classrooms without training”.
Governor Amaechi assured that the state government will set aside enough money for training and re-training of lecturers to make them current in academic matters.
This statement by the visitor reminded the Vice Chencellor  of how he started his research in Nigeria with his monthly journal and research allowance which was then #6,500. With such little amount, he was able to  build a research laboratory and some students have used that laboratory  for their masters and doctorate programmes.
“ I was expecting my  research colleague to come from Britain,that is how everybody saw  the lab and copied me, and  painted all their offices in UNN. So with that #6,500,I started my research ,bought materials.  I got the model I used in building my laboratory from Britain ,and if you see my papers, it goes into internet the same way it appears ,when I was in Britain .After  I had come back from Britain , I  discovered that, every thing in Nigeria is researchable, the reason is that it has not yet been exposed, to what others has done, it is still novel ,and that is where you gain from linkage’’, he said.
But to be relevant internationally ,the University has to make itself trusted .This is because, those ,who want to partner could be sure that they can get something back ,accountability. The schools could be able to survive with internationally linkages , through networking. Lecturers, would go to conferences , exchange ideas and invite their  foreign  counterparts to come and spend some time,  a position which constant strikes could jeopardise.
The  Rivers State University of Science and Technology, on 31st of  this month will commence its corporate partnership and collaboration. The occasion tagged ’’RSUST CORPORATE DAY .and  listed some of the things that the institution  needs of which ,if parnters are involved would make some difference.
‘’We are looking at linkages with other universities outside the country and with industries both outside and within the country. So, for those thinking of where to invest in the future, Rivers State University of Science and Technology is the destination. These are also the reasons we vowed not to go on strike anymore because of avoidable the setbacks,” Prof Fakae asserted.

Vice Chancellor, RSUST, Prof Barineme Fakae (right), leading a procession, during a convocation ceremony With him are Visitor to the university, Governor Chibuike Amaechi (left) and the university’s Pro-Chancellor, Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte.
Photo Chris Monyanaga