Education
Don Wants FG To Implement Research Findings
A university teacher, Prof. Emeka Oguzie, has called on the Federal Government to faithfully implement research findings, to ensure meaningful development of the country.
Oguzie, Dean of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State made the call last Monday in Awka at the presentation and promotion of festschrifts in honour of Prof. Joseph Ogbuagu.
Ogbuagu is a former Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze in Anambra State.
Festschrift is a volume of articles, essays, among others contributed by many authors in honour of their colleague. It is usually published on the occasion of retirement, an important anniversary or the like.
The festschrifts are ‘Management, Society and Development’ and ‘Education, Science and Development.
Oguzie said government was yet to have a proper research plan for the country.
According to him, many of the research findings produced in Nigeria have not been used for the development of the country because there is no connection between government, academia and industries.
“Nigeria has one of the best research policies on paper, but not fully implemented for the benefit of the people.
“Each year, various Nigerian research institutes and the academia churn out researches for promotion or publication, but they are not utilized for the development of the country.
“Government should begin to think of how to create and empower research institutions to drive policies and plans for real development”, Oguzie, who chaired the occasion said.
Also speaking, Rev. Fr. Jude Onebunne, Founder, Nnadiebube Academy of Philosophy, Social Sciences, Humanitities and Educational Research, expressed worry over the declining reading culture in the country.
“We are in the age of knowledge that will help the country build the kind of vision needed for development; but this cannot be achieved if we don’t place emphasis on education”, he said.
The cleric said the books promoted Ogbuagu’s contributions as former provost, an industrial chemist and member of management at the college.
Presenting the festschrifts, Prof. I.K. Kanu, a Professor of Religion and Philosophy, Tansian University, Umunya, Anambra said the books were to honour Ogbuagu for his hard work and contributions to humanity.
“A group of scholars came to honour him with the festschrifts, for his role as provost of the college for eight years”, he said.
Ogbuagu, while commending the organizers and guests at the occasion, said the festschrifts would spur him to do more for the society.
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.