Education
Why Children Should Not Skip Classes – Educationist
A consultant with True Teachers Organisations (TTO), Mrs Violet Ubah, says children should be given opportunity to progress through all classes, rather than skipping some.
Ubah spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday, in reaction to skipping of classes by some pupils in the foundation stage of their academics.
She said that passing through the normal progression of classes was helpful in boosting their chances of academic excellence.
According to her, the standard has been made clear by the government that the country operates the 6-3-3-4 system of education, except in some courses in tertiary institutions that require additional year.
“The system obtainable in our country is six years in primary school, (that is primary 1 to 6), three years in junior, three years in senior secondary school and four years in tertiary institution.
“It is rather unfortunate that some parents encourage their children in Primary 4 to write entrance examinations into secondary schools and they deny them opportunity of passing through Primary 5 and 6.
“This affects such students’ general performances as they will be struggling to cover gaps of topics in missed classes and challenges in catching up with scheme of work in the secondary school.
“The early and foundational stage of a child’s education is very fundamental, so there should be a level playing ground for them to progress and get the quality education they require,” she said.
The educationist identified being ‘ child centred against teacher centred’ as part of measures to make learning easy in nursery schools, advising secondary school management to also engage students with low performances in extra classes.
“Teachers in nursery section should have plans for the week by taking each child from what they don’t know to what they need to know, and with love; that is, simply coming down to their level.
“The services of guidance and counseling unit will also come in handy for students with low performances in the secondary, as they might be having personal challenges from the home that is affecting them,” she said.
Meanwhile, she called on management of schools, particularly the private, to make entrance examinations to secondary classes standard, as part of measures to ascertain the qualifications of the pupils and their ability to cope.
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.