Education
Appointments: Minister Charges NBTE On Federal Character Principle Compliance
Minister of Education, Malam AdamuAdamu, has charged the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and Chairmen, Governing Councils of Polytechnics to comply with the principle of federal character in the appointment of principal officers.
He also announced plans by the ministry to release N15 billion for the revitalisation of facilities in public polytechnics across the country.
Adamu gave the charge at a retreat for Chairmen of Governing Councils and Principal Officers of Federal Polytechnics organised by NBTE in collaboration with the Committee of Federal Polytechnics Rector (COFER).
Represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Gende said “of great importance is the provision in the National Policy on Education under technology education, where not less than 70 per cent of admissions into polytechnics shall be in technology-based courses.”
He enjoined polytechnic administrators to be abreast of current laws, policies, white papers, circulars, gazettes and other relevant documents that will assist them in taking decisions without undue interference in the day-to-day running of the institutions.
Adamu who stressed the need for a strict compliance to policy by council and management of Polytechnics said the ministry would continue to monitor the level of compliance.
Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. IdrisBugaje, expressed concern over the present state of polytechnics in the country, saying all hands must be on deck to reposition them.
He said: “Our admissions should be guided by an accurate database for manpower planning as well as skill gaps. The quest to put Higher National Diploma (HND) at par with Bachelors degree (BSc) in the scheme and condition of service of the federation is moving at a snail speed.
“Poor public perception and apathy towards Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), has become like a cultural taboo, while other countries, such as Germany, have 80 per cent of their students going for TVET with only 20 per cent going to universities. In the United Kingdom, master craftsmen earn three times more than a professor. In Nigeria, our eyes are yet to open to TVET.
“Universities are swallowing polytechnics. Polytechnics and universities are parallel, we are not feeders. The College of Education (COE) feeds the university system, if you convert COE to a university, you are upgrading it, but if you convert polytechnic to a university, you are degrading it, and this will not help the economy. We must stop this craving of converting polytechnics to universities.”
Chairman, organising committee, Prof. Emmanuel Fasakin, called on the Federal Government to implement the payment of 15billion revitalization of facilities of public Polytechnics as announced by the minister.
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.