Education
Principal Wants Students To Set Standards
Acting Principal of Federal College of Education (Technical) Secondary School, Akoka, Lagos, Mrs Khadijat Abdusalam, has advised graduating students of the school to form the habit of setting standards for themselves to achieve great heights in life.
Abdusalam, who gave the advice at the 11th valedictory service and 2021/2022 graduation ceremony, told the 90 graduands that education without good character was vanity.
She said: “As you sojourn in a new level of life, my candid advice to you is that you should avoid robbing Peter to pay Paul, cultivate the habit of setting standards for yourself.
“Don’t strive to become a photocopy of others, your slogan should not be, ‘if you cannot beat them join them,’ let the fear of God be your watchword. Don’t disappoint your parents and always be a great ambassador of the school at all times.”
She commended the provost, Dr Wahab Azeez, and his team, for improving the school’s infrastructure.
Chairman of the school, Brig. Gen. Abimbola Yusuph, urged the students to see their secondary school certificate as the starting point for further academic achievements.
He said: “Don’t stop growing. Life is all about improvement and learning new skills. This graduation has already shown how capable you are of accomplishing your goals when you commit yourself to them.
“Take this personal accomplishment as an example of how anything is truly possible when you put your minds to it. Be confident, determined and focus on achieving more in future.
“This is a major step in the journey of your lives, one that should be recognised for its immense significance. It is an act not only of personal commitment but also of pride. You all worked hard to get to this day and your work did not go to waste.”
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.