Education
…Inaugurate Board Of Demonstration Schools
The Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) has inaugurated a Board for its Demonstration Schools to last for the next two years on take-off in the next academic year later in the year.
Inaugurating the Board in his office, recently Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Ozomekuri Ndimele, said the schools which will be non-residential, will comprise an early childhood education centre, a primary and secondary school, and will be housed in the St. John’s Campus of the University.
While urging the Board to live up to its responsibility to drive all the procedures involved in establishing a world class school, he noted that selection of members of the Board was based on careful scrutiny and recommendation.
Describing the chairman of the Board, Dr. Anthonia Omehia, as “an experienced and successful school administrator,” he urged her to “bring her wealth of experience to bear” in her new assignment.
In her remarks, Acting Registrar of the University, Mrs Hope Keaniabarido Kueikoro, commended what she called the “laudable initiative” of the VC, and urged the Board to ensure that the dream behind its inauguration is fulfilled.
She assured the Board of the support of her office towards ensuring effective discharge of its mandate.
On her part, chairman of the Board, Dr. Omehia, assured on the commitment of members of the Board to the task ahead, noting the essence of setting up the Board.
“A University of Education cannot be complete without a world class demonstration schools. The setting up of one is, therefore a step in the right direction,” she said.
Expressing happiness of what she tagged “numerous innovations of the VC, Dr. Omehia noted that on assumption of duty as VC, Prof Ndimele” did not leave anyone in doubt that he was prepared to change the fortunes of the university.”
The Board has as its Terms of Reference: To handle all processes and procedures to legitimize the school, draw up a budget for take-off, advertise and appoint a manageable workforce and to determine the salaries and wages payable to the personnel of the schools as is obtainable in other well-established private schools in the state.
It also includes: To supervise the finances of the schools, draw-up unique and peculiar curricular, bearing in mind the demand of the labour market and to pursue other creative ideas that will translate to a vibrant model school.
A professor of Highway Engineering at the Rivers State University (RSU), Prof. Emmanuel Osilemme Ekwulo, has identified poor designs, inadequate materials, insufficient testing, and lack of accountability as major obstacles to the success of highway construction projects in the country.
Ekwulo made this remark in Port Harcourt last Wednesday during the 128th inaugural lecture series of the university, where he presented a lecture titled “Removing Roadblocks: Rebuilding a Foundation for Reliable Highway Pavement Infrastructure.”
The university don lamented the consistent premature failures of road construction projects nationwide, despite huge investments by the government at all levels, attributing the problem to neglected basics and systemic principles in the industry.
According to him, rebuilding the foundation technically, institutionally, and ethically is crucial to building strong and lasting pavements.
Ekwulo emphasized the need for political will, professional integrity, and commitment to engineering excellence to overcome the challenges.
“The metaphoric roadblocks are those challenges causing premature failures,” Ekwulo said, adding that identifying and addressing these roadblocks is key to rebuilding the nation’s highways.
He recommended that institutions involved in road design and construction adopt a mechanistic-empirical design approach, and develop a comprehensive framework for implementing the Nigerian Imperial and Mechanistic Pavement Design System (NEMPADS) approach.
Ekwulo also advocated for mandatory traffic load analysis, strengthened university-industry collaboration, and funding for applied pavement research.
Corruption, he noted, is a major challenge in the profession, saying severe punitive measures are needed to curb shabby practices leading to premature road failures.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, described Ekwulo’s lecture as interesting and intriguing, highlighting the importance of implementing solutions to Nigeria’s highway challenges.
The Vice Chancellor also described Ekwulo’s proposals as practical and applicable to government and industry stakeholders.
He said the university is committed to research aligned with national development goals, referencing its NDV-12 responsive consortium production framework.
Zeb-Obipi noted that Ekwulo’s recommendations are timely and solution-driven, and will contribute to addressing Nigeria’s highway challenges.
Akujobi Amadi
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