Education
NGO To Organise Education Talk Show In PH
The Centre for Social Transformation and Human Development (CHDST) in collaboration with the Nigeria Network and Campaign for Peace Education has reiterated its readiness to organise the first Independent Talking Across Generations on Education (iTAGe) event in Africa.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by the organisers, Dr Polycarp Henetu and Collins Imoh and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
According to the statement, the event would be in partnership with UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP).
It also hinted that the high profile-event will hold on September 4, 2021 in Port Harcourt and added that participants will be drawn across the country.
It further revealed that emphasis would be made on youth engaging with senior policy makers on “Deepening a Culture of Peace and Democracy through Education’, over the years, on TAGe events held in India, USA, and Canada.
Defining its nature and purpose, it stated that MGIEP focuses more on achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.7 towards education to foster peaceful and sustainable societies by developing programmes and products that promote social and emotional learning, innovate digital pedagogies and empower the youth.
About Talking Across Generations on Education (TAGe) initiative, it said that it was a youth-driven intergenerational dialogue on education, premised on the centrality of the transformative nature of dialogue.
“The world is home to more than 1.8 billion young people. More often than not, these young people are pushed to the periphery of the policy making process in the areas of education, peace, sustainability and global citizenship; they are not viewed as key stakeholders. MGIEP believes that any strategy aimed at the youth cannot be successful without their voice being heard by policy makers.
“Therefore, effective engagement of Nigerian youth should include incorporating perspectives from young people into each component of policy making, education opportunities, programme planning and other vital national/international decision-making avenues. This lies at the core of the Talking Across Generations on Education project”, it said.
In addition, it hinted that the dialogue in Port Harcourt will be expected to achieve these objectives by facilitating an unrestrained dialogue between young people interested in the field of education together with experienced and high-level senior decision makers for an intergenerational dialogue on education.
By: King Onunwor
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.