Education
Rivers Monarchs Want Vocational Centres For Students
The Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers has called for the establishment of vocational centres for students on holiday to learn other trades apart from their academic work.
The Chairman of the council and Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja made the call in his address at the 106th q. quartely meeting of the council at Government House Auditorium, Port Harcourt,recently.
According to him, the establishment of such cetres would stem the tide of cultism and other anti-social vices in the state during long vacation, adding that, “this will fully engage them during the long holidays before they go back to school to resume their academic work”. He also called on the government to equip vocational schools with modern machines and tools to be more effective in their trade, stressing that the state is in dire need of its sons and daughters trained to use their hands and natural endowment to be self employed and employers of labour. The state traditional rulers council chairman also commended the state government for flagging-off the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 175 UBE schools in the state, pointing out that the completion of the project would undoubtedly provide conducive learning environment for the children all over the state. He expressed delight with government for providing its counterpart funding which made it possible for the state to access UBE fund from the Federal Government.
King Douglas Jaja, however, drew the attention of the government on the danger of drug abuse by the youths and the future of the state, stressing that as traditional rulers, they are worried over the menace and called for the setting up of a taskforce that would stop the sale of such drugs like Tramadol and other known hallucinating drugs in chemists all over the state.
The monarch also called for the establishment of counseling clinics in the rural areas to enable the women go for early detection of cancer, HIV/AIDS and other health related diseases and advice on family planning.
Collins Barasimeye
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.
