Education
Enforce Clinical Legal Education, Don Urges NUC
Head of the Public Law
Department, University of Lagos, Prof. Akin Ibidapo-Obe, has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to make Clinical Legal Education compulsory in law faculties.
Ibidapo-Obe made the call recently in an interview with The Tide’s source in Gwagwalada, FCT.
He said making the subject compulsory for the curriculum of all law faculties would ensure its maximum impact on the Nigerian legal system.
He said that it would sensitise students to the ideas of social justice as the underpinning philosophy of counselling and create in them the spirit of community service.
The university lecturer explained that the education was aimed at converting undergraduate legal curriculum from library-based to a laboratory-based, where students would practise their skills.
According to him, the existing system of legal education is not producing enough quantity and quality of lawyers with requisite social justice, but the clinical legal education would address that.
“ It allows students to imbibe legal theory and at the same time expose practising lawyers’ skills to the world.
“ We want to build a new crop of lawyers who will be fit into their communities.
“There are several legal activities which students can champion and excel. For instance, street law, educating market women and drivers on their rights.
“ At a point of professional legal education at the law school, it may be too late to inculcate in the students the requisite professional ethnics concerning community service.
He, however, said that only 14 out of the 93 faculties of law in the country had instituted a clinical legal education programme.
The Tide’s source reports that clinical legal education is a method of imparting relevant skills to law students in their undergraduate years by exposing them to practical rather than theoretical aspect.
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.