…As VC Urges Assembly To Maintain Nomenclature

The Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Professor  Blessing Didia has rejected moves  to change the name of the institution.
Prof. Didia who stated this on Wednesday while making his contributions at the Public Hearing organized by the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Education said the institution may lose its identity if the name is changed, stressing that universities outside the country bear names outside their jurisdiction.
He made references to several universities outside Nigeria to buttress his point. But in a surprise twist to the nomenclature change, the Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, IAUOE, Prof. Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele represented by the institution’s Acting Registrar, said IAUOE is prepared to take the change RSUST is rejecting.
Ndimele said the change in nomenclature will open the institution to other courses as well as expand its academic reach.
In his contribution, the State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Florence Fiberesima said the Justice Ministry is in support of the change in nomenclature.
The Commissioner said as at the time of preparing the bill, the directive of the NUC has not come to the fore.
He however noted that the timing was right as the Assembly has the legislative power to effect any changes that will put the university in good stead.
Other stakeholders in the University sector, such as ASUU, NASU, SSANU, SUG, anSd the University Alumnus all made useful contributions on various areas that will strengthen the bill.
The Chairman of the Rivers State House Committee on Education, Hon. Doctor Farah Dagogo, had in his opening address, enjoined participants to take advantage of the public hearing by making salient contributions that will improve the proposed law.
He drew the participants’ attention to the National Universities Commission, (NUC) plans to de-accredit courses which are not in line with the university core mandate.
According to him, “Already, the NUC, by the directive of the Federal Ministry of Education, has directed the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, to delete all the courses being offered by these universities from her portal.”
To show that the NUC meant business, it has advised all candidates applying for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculations Examination, UTME, not to apply for courses offered by these universities,” he explained.