Education
Reps Committed To Building A Resilient Education System – Gbajabiamila
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has stressed the need for the Nigerian nation to build a resilent education system to guarantee uninterupted learning, even in difficult times.
Gbajabiamila made the statement at the launch of “Back to School Jump Start Project”, a project organised by the office of the speaker in collaboration with the National Lottery Trust Fund in Lagos, Friday.
Represented by Rep. AdemorinKuye (APC-Shomolu), Gbajabiamila said the COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant lockdown in 2020 impacted education negatively adding that many students were shut out of school during the period as they could not access learning owing to poor digital infrastructure in schools.
Gbajabiamila said the Jump-Start Project, therefore, was aimed at digitising the teaching and learning process as well as inculcating a culture of basic hygiene in schools across the nation.
“The reason for tagging the first leg of the Jump-Start project as “No School Left Behind in Surulere” is to address the widening of the educational disadvantage heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic.While the health implications of the pandemic are all too obvious, its consequences for education are subtle, but nonetheless, devastating.
.”For students in Nigerian public schools, the lockdown in 2020 was a huge setback.Thus, the Jump Start Project is designed to mitigate the disadvantages caused by the lack of digital infrastructure in public schools, as well as ensure that there are no breaks in teaching and learning in the event of future pandemics”, he said.
The Speaker described education as the best possible investment in people, saying “It is the silver bullet that lifts people out of poverty, encourages a broader perspective that expands their worldview”.
He stated that the National Assembly was committed to building back a better and stronger education system, resistant to the eventualities of the “new normal”.
While noting that he was personally committed to improving the lives and livelihoods of his constituents through education, Gbajabiamila said the first phase of the project would see 46 junior and senior schools in Surulere 1 Federal Constituency receiving E- learning equipment such as laptops, android tablets, phones, stationery and sanitation material.
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.