Education
Undergraduates, Parents Hail Suspension Of ASUU Strike
Some parents in Port Harcourt, Rivers State have expressed happiness over the suspension of the national industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universties (ASUU)..
The leadership of ASUU had last Thursday in Abuja at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) National Secretariat, announced the suspension of the over three months old industrial action embarked by members of the union, which had paralysed academic activities across the public universities in the country.
Although, so many state owned universities had mid-way into the strike pulled out from the ASUU struggle, cuting among other things of having a roburst relationship with their state governments, the reason which did not go down well with the leadership of the ASUU.
Meanwhile, some parents who spoke with The Tide education correspondent in Port Harcourt described the suspension of the strike as good and healthy, adding that it would offer the students an opportunity to continue with their studies.
Mr. Paul Samuel, a parent, thanked the leadership of the union for taking such decision to suspend the strike, adding that such gesture has brought a sigh of relief to parents and their children.
He however, urged members of the union not to resort to strike actions all the time, adding that delight and friendly dialogue should be an option to strike.
On his own part, a level 200 of Linguistics and Communication, Promise Onyiyechi, University of Port Harcourt, Choba while expressing happiness for the suspension of the strike urged lecturers to commence lectures with out further delay.
He called on the management of the affected universities to take into considerations the number of months lost by students in their various institutions and give adequate time for lectures before rushing into examinations.
According to him students should not be allowed to suffer the consequences of the strike actions through rush programmes, adding that rush programmes give birth to the production of half baked graduates in 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.