Education

IAUE Plays Host To TIWA Members

Published

3 years ago

January 16, 2023

President, Wives of the Heads of the five tertiary institutions in the state under the umbrella of Tertiary Institutions Women Association (TIWA), Barr. Mrs Nnenna Igbokwe Okogbule has described the Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof Okechukwu Onuchuku as an indefatigable, pragmatic, charismatic and a workaholic.
Okogbule stated this when TIWA members, comprising women from the Five Higher Tertiary Institutions in Rivers State, namely, Rivers State University; Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE); Kenule Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic; Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic; and the Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology paid him a courtesy visit at the Council Chambers before embarking on their bi-monthly general meeting to discuss issues affecting members of the association as well as women and their children generally.
She stressed that the purpose for the bi-monthly general rotational meeting is to synergise, boost the morale of their members in these five institutions in the state as well exchange ideas, proffer ways to empower each other as well as humanity in general.
According to her: “Nobody is a reportorial of knowledge as such we learn from each other in other to move forward in life. At the institution levels and as women, we also try as much as possible to give our husbands whom God have given them the opportunities to head these five tertiary institutions the needed support so that they are able to perform optimally as expected ”.
She explained that their focus also geared towards students of these various institutions, who have left their homes at their tender ages, adding that these students need motherly care and attention.
Barr. Okogbule stressed that while putting the welfare of their members as one of the priorities, also emphasised that the students were not left out as there were lots of negative social vices on the increase by the day in the tertiary institutions, maintained that their constant prayers towards and with these students God will never allowed them to be found wanting.
“As mothers and with God on our side, giving directions to our younger generation makes great impact on them. As TIWA members, your welfare is our priority.
“We give quality training to the girls and boys without any bias nor segregation.
When you focused more on the girl child, the boy child that you poorly train will in turn become a menace for the girl child and society at large.
In his reactions, the Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Prof Okechukwu Onuchukwu commended the efforts of the association for the roles they play in imparting meaningfully to lives of the students of the various institutions in the state.
Onuchuku noted that apart from the academic contributions members of TIWA were rendering, they also ensure that students of the various institutions are taught good morals, saying that without morals and proper guidance the children will go haywire due to what they learn from the internet and peer groups.
He commended them for what they were doing, while charging them to make efforts to attend conferences internationally and not limited to only the local trainings.
speaking shortly after the meeting, the host and wife of the Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru Unverisity of Edcation, Mrs Chika Okey Onunchkwu. expressed happiness for hosting members of TIWA at the institutions.
Mrs Okey Onuchuku charged lukewarm members of the association to come out of their cocoons and join them in moving the association to greater and an enviable heights in the state and country at large.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Education

RIVCHPP Set To Take Health Insurance Scheme To Tertiary Institutions In Rivers State

Published

2 weeks ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), the state health insurance agency, is set to take the health insurance scheme to schools, especially tertiary institutions, in the state.

This disclosure was made by the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala, when she led a team from RIVCHPP on an advocacy visit to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education on Friday, 16th January 2026.

Dr. Agala, who solicited authorisation from the Ministry for RIVCHPP to write to the institutions under Ministry’s mandate so as to begin enrolment of students in the various schools , said that for the health insurance agency to expand universal health coverage of the state, then students need to be enrolled into the programme.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary announced that the agency has also started talks with the State branch of Nigeria Association of Proprietors of Private Secondary Schools (NAPPSS) to ensure that no one in the state is left out from having the opportunity of accessing quality healthcare services without passing through financial hardship.

Dr. Agala also commended the innovative policies that the Permanent Secretary have brought to bear towards improving the educational exploits in the state, saying that the changes align to the interest and mandate of Governor Siminialayi Fubara stance on education.

RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary appreciated the Permanent Secretary for giving the team audience, pledging her team’s dedication and commitment to clients’ satisfaction, calling on schools to embrace the S-SHIP package dedicated for the well-being of students in Rivers State.

In her remarks and response, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr.(Mrs. ) Azibaolanari Uzoma-Nwogu, who warmly welcomed the RIVCHPP team, promised to share with and disseminate all information about RIVCHPP to all public schools in the state so that the schools will be willing to give RIVCHPP opportunity to sensitise them on what RIVCHPP is all about and the benefits of signing up with RIVCHPP.

Dr. Uzoma-Nwogu advised RIVCHPP to be proactive and consistent in the mandate of providing affordable and quality health care to Rivers residents.

The visit witnessed a presentation of RIVCHPP’s sensitisation/campaign materials to the Permanent Secretary by RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary

Education

University Don wants AI to be made compulsory course

Published

2 weeks ago

January 19, 2026

The Tide

A university don, Prof. Sunday Olatunji, has argued that Artificial Intelligence (AI) should be made a compulsory course for all students in higher institutions across Nigeria, irrespective of their field of study

He also called on Nigeria and Africa to build an intelligent, inclusive and technologically sovereign future to elevate human potential through artificial intelligence.

To achieve these goals, the Professor of Artificial Intelligence urged the nation and continent to: institutionalize capacity building for AI excellence; develop functional policy and ethical frameworks for responsible AI; build artificial intelligence literacy and workforce development; make AI a general course in all higher institutions; promote no-code

AI and machine learning pathways for beginners; develop public-private-academic partnerships; and build inclusive and culturally grounded AI.Prof. Olatunji, who is ranked by the National Universities Commission (NUC) as the Best AI Researcher in Nigeria (2025), made these statements on Tuesday, while delivering the 53rd Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, held at the University Multipurpose Hall.

The lecture was titled, Symbiosis of Mind and Machine: Harnessing AI for National Development.He stressed that artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction but a reality that permeates every stratum of human life. “Just as Computer Appreciation became a national requirement decades ago, the time has come for AI Appreciation as a compulsory General Studies (GST) course.

This course should introduce all students, regardless of discipline, to aspects of AI including: AI fundamentals, machine learning concepts, applications of AI in their respective fields, ethical implications of AI, and its role in national development, among others,” he said.

The lecturer called on governments to establish AI innovation hubs in all tertiary institutions and research centres; promote cross-disciplinary collaboration integrating computing; provide national research grants focused on AI solutions for local challenges; and recruit and train faculty specialised in AI, machine learning, data science, robotics, and computational intelligence.

Prof. Olatunji allayed fears that AI could replace humans or end humanity, positing that, “Many fear that the rise of artificial intelligence signals the decline of human relevance – that the machine might replace the mind. But history teaches otherwise. Every technological revolution – from the printing press to electricity, from the internet to AI – has not diminished humanity but rather redefined it.

Today, AI diagnoses diseases, predicts the weather, translates languages, and protects nations.

Prof. Olatunji has garnered from far and wide and commended his role in setting up the Faculty of Computing and for doing a yeoman’s job as its founding Dean.

The Vice Chancellor also noted that Prof. Olatunji is a well-respected and accomplished academic and researcher who has carved an enviable niche for himself in the digital world of computing and artificial intelligence.

Education

FG, ASUU Set Date to Sign Agreement

Published

3 weeks ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government is set to formally sign an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities following weeks of negotiations.

The development may be linked to the 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff proposed by the FG last month and accepted by the union.

A circular issued by the Ministry of Education invited Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of federal universities to witness the signing ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Conference Hall, Abuja.

The circular, dated January 5, 2026, and referenced FME/IS/UNI/ASUU/C.11/Vol.V/82, was signed by the Director of University Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, on behalf of the Minister of Education.

It was titled ‘Invitation to the Ceremony for the Signing of Agreement Between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.’

The circular was sighted by our correspondent on Saturday and confirmed by the Ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

“This signing represents a critical milestone in promoting industrial harmony and improving teaching and learning in our universities.

“It also reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to the sustainable development of education in line with the Renewed

Attendance at the ceremony was declared mandatory for all invited university administrators, highlighting the importance attached to the agreement and its implementation.

Last month, the industrial crisis that had burdened Nigeria’s university system for 16 years following the 2009 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement saw the union accept the Federal Government’s proposed 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff.

It was reported that the deal, effective from January 1, 2026, would be reviewed after three years

Why FG Shouldn’t Be Blamed for Non-Implementation of Council Autonomy

Under the new terms, professors will earn a pension equivalent to their final annual salary upon retirement at age 70. The agreement also provides for the establishment of a National Research Council to fund research with at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.

Other provisions include improved funding for libraries, laboratories, equipment and staff development, greater university autonomy, and the election of academic leaders, with only professors eligible to serve as deans and provosts. The pact also guarantees that no staff member involved in past industrial actions will be victimised.