The Rivers State Government has given approval to the management of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE) to employ academic and non-academic staff to fill existing vacancies in the institution.
The State Chief Executive, Chief Nyesom Wike, stated this during the 39th/40th Convocation Ceremony of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumeni in Port Harcourt, last Saturday.
Represented by his Deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, the governor,who is also the visitor to the university, said the decision to lift the ban on employment in the university was necessitated by the desire to provide quality teaching, learning, research, and to strengthen the capacity of the university to impart innovative knowledge and deliver quality education to its students.
Wike, who said every state needs well-educated, trained, skilled and healthy citizens to grow its economy, create jobs and ensure that life becomes truly meaningful for everyone, added that the success of any state or country depends on how the youths are transformed through education, skills and values, to be active and productive citizens.
The visitor to the university said, “Educational Institutions remain key to societal transformation and is the reason we as a state government, have continued to prioritise access to quality education at all levels, since we took over the levers of governance seven years ago”.
Wike, who expressed satisfaction with the role the institution, has been playing to actualise its special mandate in the training of professional educators and administrators for the state and the country, commended the management, lecturers and other partners for the remarkable growth of the university and its contribution to the state and national development.
He congratulated the graduating students for completing an important phase in their lives, adding that the knowledge, skills and values they have acquired from the university would guide them to succeed in life.
In his address, the Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, who expressed gratitude to Wike for his appointment, said under his watch, the university has secured full accreditation for 21 programmes, which received positive assessment from the National Universities Commission (NUC).
He said the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of the institution have been reviewed in line with global best practices, while the school fees have also received a downward review.
According to him, a total of 3,751 graduands were for first degree while 3,770 graduands were for the postgraduate degree.