Education
UNIPORT Protest: Students Hopeful Of Fees Reduction
About a week after the
protest by students of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) on the hike in school fees, the students have expressed optimism that the school authorities would listen to their plea and reduce the fees.
A cross section of the students who spoke to The Tide shortly after the protest said that the protest was meant to seek for consideration on the part of the institution’s authority in order for them to continue in their educational pursuits.
A final year student of the department of Mechanical Engineering, Sabbath Akanyiyere said “though the school authority did not respond for now, I believe that before the school will resume properly and payments begin, something will be done. Our efforts so for cannot be cut short, we must continue and the school by God’s grace will help us”.
Claude Amadi of the faculty of Humanities said “the percentage of the increase is high. It’s about 40 percent from the former fees we paid though depending on the faculty and department. But then, we are asking that the school management should consider the times we are in and be careful of low it increases the fees”.
Another student of the School of Medicine, Dappa Horold said “this protest cannot be for nothing. What the students did was normal and I believe it will yield something positive. The times we are in are hard and with such increases, some of us whose wards and parents are only struggling to get to school may not be able to continue. And so I pray the school authority would tramper justice with mercy and hear the plea of the students”.
A post graduate student of the department of Environmental Sciences who also condemned the hike in fees said such hikes in the fees of most Nigerian higher institutions have contributed to the high level of uneducated youths in the society.
“Universities, even the public ones are discouraging youths to go to school and this is also contributing to the Youth violence we are experiencing. For the ones already in school, two to five percent increase can be adjusted to but anything beyond that would be too much and can send some them packing from school. I wish the school authority will reconsider its stance”, he stated.
It would be recalled that students of Uniport last Monday embarked on a peaceful protest over the hike in school fees.
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Williams Wodi, in an interview said however that the school was not in session describing the protesters as touts who were being hired to disrupt the activities of the institution.
The Tide also gathered that the students’ representatives, the Students Union Government (SUG) and other bodies, on hearing of the plans to increase the fees met with the school’s management prior to fee day of protest. They however, never gave a feedback of the dialogue to the students which necessitated the protest.
Cross section of pupils of Abec Nursery and Primary School at the 2014 Unity Day celebration held at the school compound in Port Harcourt, last weekend.
Lady Godknows Ogbulu
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.