Education
Don Urges Government To Reconsider Funding Varsities
A University Don, Prof Rahamon A. Bello has called on government at all levels to re-evaluate funding systems in Nigeria universities.
According to him, the current practice of funding by government does not promote global best practices in tertiary education.
Prof Bello, who made the call Thursday, as part of commendations in his convocation lecture at the 29th convocation of the Rivers State University of (RSU), said such re-evaluation is necessary to, among other things, promote efficiency.
“Governments are hereby called upon to consider re-evaluation of the funding pattern of universities. The current practice does not promote efficiency, proactiveness, scholarship and best practices”, he said.
In the Convocation lecture titled, “Self Funding In Nigeria Universities: Contemporary Challenges and Solutions”, Prof Bello X-rayed the current funding pattern in Nigerian Universities to be based on three basic components.
They are Personnel Costs, Overhead and Capital Costs, which he said accounts for the inability of such universities to embark on capital project execution.
“The very little component of the funding released for overheads and capital allocations would account for the decay in infrastructure and very little capital project execution to meet the growing population of student and staff.
“The fund released for Overhead expenditure, which would take care of running the offices, the municipal services, environment, maintenance, security services etc is ridiculously low.
“The universities are left to source for funds or generate funds to meet all these obligations”, he said.
In addition to the re-evaluation, Prof Bello who is the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos also called upon the Nigeria Universities Commission (NUC) to “carryout an evaluation of the true cost of educating a student in the universities in Nigeria.
While acknowledging numerous contentions regarding the adequacy of Government funding of Universities, the Professor of Chemical Engineering noted that the Volume of fund disbursed by government falls far short not what should be expanded on education, based on the 26 per cent of budget stipulated by United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)
This, he said, also raises the question of how efficient is the use of the available fund in relation to the key mandate of universities in terms of teaching and research.
In his contribution, the Chairman of the occasion and Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District, Senator George Thompson Sekibo supported the recommendations of Prof Bell’.
According to him, “Universities should be financially autonomous. The reason is that every university has the same kind of problem, but they don’t want to delve into the same kind of challenge.
“So, f I want to go to the moon, but University of Lagos does not want to go to moon, we don’t require the same amount of money in terms of funding”, he said.
Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of a coastal bus to the university by the Senator.
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.
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