Education
Non-Implementation Of Teachers’ Promotion, My Nightmare – NUT Boss
Among the challenges
being faced by teachers in Rivers State, the fact that teachers who have been promoted long ago are yet to enjoy the proceeds of such promotion has become nightmarish to the state Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) boss, Chief Godfrey Nwosu.
In an exclusive interview with The Tide in his office in Port Harcourt, the NUT helmsman stated that since his election in June 2013, convincing teachers that something was being done about the implementation of their promotion had been his greatest challenge.
“Teachers are promoted and it is not immediately implemented, and this has been causing a lot of problems here and there. All efforts to rectify the ugly trend has always proved abortive,” he said.
He explained that at the post primary level, some of the teachers were promoted about two years ago, and are yet to enjoy the benefits of the promotion in terms of payments accruing from the promotion.
The promotion was conducted and I want to inform you that there are people who received their promotion since 2012, but till date, it has not been implemented in the post primary schools board.
“Even in the Universal Basic Education (UBE), the last promotion before the recent one, many teachers have not been paid their promotion arrears till date.
“We have done everything possible to take it up with the UBE board to ensure that as soon as teachers are promoted, the next thing is to implement it.
“If this is done, I believe that this backlog of payments will not arise. Rather than waiting until it accumulates to a huge sum that would be difficult to pay, it would be better to pay immediately,” he said.
The state NUT boss explained further that he had met with the chairmen of both the post primary and UBE boards, who had always promised to “do something” about it.
“The most recent is over the last promotion exercise in UBE in which they released that of Grade level 1-14, leaving those from 15-16, and up till now, we have not heard anything but promises,” he explained.
He explained that he took the matter to the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Barrister Minabelem Michael-West, who confirmed the situation and assured him that it was ready, but that the financial implication has not been submitted.
“The big question is, how long will it take for them to submit the financial implication? he asked.
The situation, he said, becomes more worrisome knowing that, “the Governor is education friendly and very much ready to pay teachers”, he lamented.
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.