Education
Alumni Reject Plan To Convert AAU To Multi-Campuses
The Ambrose Alli University (AAU) Alumni Association, Edo, has expressed its displeasure over the plan by the State Government to convert the institution to multi-campus.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Gov. Godwin Obaseki had at a town hall meeting in February announced the plan to move its two faculties, Engineering and Agriculture, to Oredo and Owan West Local Government Areas, respectively.
But the association in a statement signed by its President, Mr Dave Emakunu, and the General Secretary, Mr Johnson Akpolome, appealed to the governor, who doubles as the Visitor to the university, to shelve the idea.
The alumni also demanded the dissolution of the Special Intervention team and immediate constitution of a governing council to manage the institution.
According to the statement, a copy of which was made available to NAN in Benin, the constitution of a Special Intervention Team (SIT) for the Edo state owned university, in place of Governing Council is an aberration, that deserves immediate dissolution.
It asserted that splitting the university into multi-campuses would result to insurmountable challenges, which would arise from implementation of the plan.
This, the union said, would bring untold hardship on the students in terms of logistics.
It noted that the university, as a single campus, was grossly underfunded, with staff salaries owed running into several months.
“The failure to adequately fund the institution has led to industrial crisis and paralysis of academic activities,” the statement said.
It also lamented a situation where all the principal officers of the university were appointed in acting capacity.
“Most worrisome is that the signatures of the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Registrar on the certificates of graduates continuously change because the appointments of these officers are not tenured.
“This is capable of affecting the credibility of the certificates issued by the university.
“What the state government need to do at this crucial time is to ensure that the university is adequately funded to allow for staff salaries to be paid as at when due.
“As well as build adequate infrastructure to cater for the growing population of staff and students of the institution rather than proposing a multi-campus system which will further overwhelm the financial capability of the state,” the statement read in part.
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.