Education
Polytechnic Education, Key To Dynamic Economy – Don
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State (right), presenting a certificate to the best Student, Flt. Lt. Christian Mensah, at the 44th Convocation of Air Force Institute of Technology, in Kaduna on Wednesday.
A Polytechnic teacher, Dr
Adaku Ngozi Achilike, says a well-groomed polytechnic education is a necessity for the development of any society.
Dr Achilike, who made this assertion recently , at the 3rd National Conference on Polytechnic Education held in Port Harcourt, noted that unlike university education which focuses on physical and intellectual skills, polytechnic education focuses on physical and practical skills.
The implication of this, she hinted, is that university education at the end of the day provides what can be seen as “Blue print” to development while polytechnic education provides “revival”.
“It is important to note that ‘blue print’ is not required to produce excellence students but ‘revival’ can do the magic through paradigm shifts, bearing in mind the technological age we find ourselves at each point in time,” she said.
Polytechnic education, the Associate Professor of Business Education, continued” is deemed as that which offers opportunity for hands-on experience within dynamic on progressive learning setting, with emphasis on practice-base of the university.
According to her, it involves work attachment with industries as part of the curriculum. She however noted that such attachments are currently being done haphazardly.
Discussing on the topic “polytechnic education for science and technology in an emerging economy,” Dr Achilike made comparism between polytechnic education and skill/competency building, polytechnic education and knowledge base, as well as polytechnic education for science and technology.
Regarding skill/competency building, she stated that skill is the capacity to do things well with emerging technologies and can be learned or acquired.
Competency, on the other hand, is a sustainable way of doing things with conscious, superiority and mastery.
“Skills and competencies rule the world while skills and competencies in science and technology shave/shape the world into a more vibrant place for the young and old.
She concluded that with vision 20:2020 by the corner, “well tailored polytechnic education is the desired veritable tool for great achievement and good placement, given skill competency, appropriate knowledge base for improved science and technology system to give a dynamic economic. We shall then compete with comity of nations”.
Narrowing down the topic of the conference to the Nigerian context, Dr Obasi O. Oko in his paper identified key stakeholders who must play their parts to develop Nigeria technologically.
According to him, “the government of Nigeria, the National Assembly, captains of industries, drivers of the polytechnic system and other stakeholders should change their negative attitudes towards technical education in general, and polytechnic education in particular.
“They should also accord the system the prime of place it deserves in the national scheme of things. For, in the system lies the future greatness of Nigeria in terms of techno-industrial development”, he said.
Sogbeba Dokubo
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.