Education
Ex-VP Sambo Advocates Shift In Nigerian Educational System
Former Vice President Namadi Sambo has advocated for a dynamic approach of the Nigerian educational system to produce employees with skills and ability to handle complex jobs and create opportunities for others.
Sambo made the call in his goodwill message at the 22nd Matriculation of Igbinedion University, Okada, on Saturday in Edo.
The former vice president noted that it was the best time for the country to refocus from one size-fits-all approach that creates employees that are not fit for complex jobs.
According to him, Nigerian universities must refocus on building of graduates that will create and end poverty among the people and ultimately close the wide social inequality and promote social coefficient in the communities.
“As a nation, we must focus our educational system to one that shifts to prepare our students in different skills set; the one that empowers and creates job, rather for low pay jobs that has no value for nation building in the competitive world.
“We must pay attention on building skilled graduates that can provide jobs not only for themselves, but for others.
“No doubt, Igbinedion University must set the pace for providing value adding education in line with global best practice,” he said.
Sambo linked the prevailing insecurity in the country to the massive job deficit, which he said had translated to the increase in poverty and restiveness among the youth.
He described as apt and timely the theme of the matriculation lecture: “Refocusing Value Driven Education in the Digital Age Through the Lens of Entrepreneurship, Enterprise and Global Competitiveness: Lessons for Nigeria”.
He said there was no better time to discuss value driven education in a vast changing world that shifts its focus on skills set demand than now.
“With the disruption in world economy due to COVID-19 pandemic and continuous search for job opportunities across the globe particularly in Africa, our education system must be value driven,” said the erstwhile governor of Kaduna state.
He however commended Igbinedion University for its continuing partnership with renowned actors and global players in the Information and Communication Technology such as CISCCO Academy, Microsoft Academy, Mikrotik and Huawei, among others.
This, he said, was in line with the university policies in digital literacy and setting standards by producing change agents and job creators instead of job seekers.
“I am also aware that this university has been adopted by the NUC as a model for a nationwide entrepreneurial skill acquisition programme for Nigerian universities.
“This great effort of this institution deserves the support of all and sundry especially at this critical time that high unemployment rate continuous to pose greater challenges to our existence as a nation.
Sambo urged the new students to make their parents and this great nation proud by dedicating their precious time and effort to study, advising them to take advantage of the conducive settings and standards provided by the institution.
The Guest Speaker, Mr Justice Derefaka, stressed the need for the Nigerian education system to respond to the global change.
Derefaka, the Technical Adviser on Gas Business and Policy Implementation to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, said that Nigeria was ranked low in graduates with requisite skills, experience and knowledge required by employing industries.
Nigeria, he said, needed to adopt strategies in educational reform to pick race with the accelerated technological changes by closing gaps and infuse a methodology and selection of instructional materials on curriculum for retainer system.
He corroborated the position of the former vice president that Nigerian students must be prepared well for the future in the area of creative thinking on how to create jobs rather than searching for white collar jobs.
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.