Education

RSG Suspends Principal Over Illegal Fees

Published

3 years ago

May 22, 2023

Rivers State Government has suspended the Principal of Government Secondary school, Borikiri, Mr. Ella Ewoh for collecting money from 61 external students in place of the bonifade students, thereby denying the legitimate students the opportunity to write their examinations.
Speaking to newsmen during monitoring of the on going Senior Secondus School Examination in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Prof Chinedu Mmom added that the suspension would serve as deterrent to others.
He explained that the Rivers State Government, under the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike, has paid all WAEC fees for students both indigenes and non-indigenes, adding that any Principal caught collecting money in any form will face the full wrath of the law.
“Information reaching me is that some schools, the Principals and some of the staff forced the students to pay certain money for what I do not know, this is illegal and we frown at that. Any principal, any supervisor, any invigilator, any teacher that is caught will be shown the way out.
“I want to re-emphasise that students are not to pay any money to be admitted into any examination hall. The examination hall has been paid for by the Rivers State Government, so, we are sending our people to monitor this examination across the State on daily basis, so, any person or group of persons that are culprits will be handed over to security agencies, so they are disciplined according to the law,” Mmom said.
The commissioner while encouraging students to remain focused and committed to their studies, and work hard said, there is no short cut to success.
“I started the way you are today, but today, I am a Professor and the commissioner for Education and I am sure some of you want to be Commissioner in the state as time goes on, but know that there is no short cut, so all that is expected of you is to work very hard. I encourage you to study very assiduously, do your assignments and read your books.”
The Tide reports that the schools visited included Government Girls Secondary School, Rumueme, Community Secondary School, Oroworukwo and Model Secondary School, G.R.A., Port Harcourt.

By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Education

Rivers NYSC Cordinator task corps members on peace building

Published

7 days ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

Corps Members have been urged to use the rich cultural heritage of Nigerians to promote peace in the state and country at large.

The Rivers State Coordinator of NYSC Mr. Moses Oleghe gave the charge during the inter-platoon cultural carnival competition for 2025 Batch C Corps Members deployed to the State orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam Tai held over the weekend.

Oleghe while addressing the Corps Members, further charged them to be a “source of light in their host communities,” noting that the “symbolic lighting of the cultural carnival torch means that every Corps Member must be the light that dispels darkness.”

He urged them to integrate and internalize the culture of the people of their area where they serve, strengthen cultural practices that promote human dignity, rights, and respect.”

The radiant and colorful event witnessed the regeneration and rebirth of various ethnic cultures by the Corps Members.

At the end of the competition, 4 platoon was adjudged the overall best, 9 platoon 2nd and 6 platoon 3rd.

Education

RSU Best Graduating Student Makes Case for Absorption of Graduates

Published

7 days ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

Miss Chukwuka Christabel Chidnma, one of the best overall graduating students of Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu/Oroworukwu, Port Harcourt, has advocated for the retention of the best graduating students of the institution to fill the gap in teaching staff in the institution.

Chidnma, who was adjudged the overall best graduating student of the class of 2023/2024 academic session in the just-concluded 37th and 38th combined convocation ceremony of the university, had a CGPA of 4.88 from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies in the Faculty of Humanities.

She made the call while delivering her valedictory speech at the awards of the first degree on Saturday, saying the call becomes imperative to ensure that the department and the university at large continue to thrive and maintain academic standards.

She opined that she and her colleagues would be eager to contribute to the workforce of the development and the school in general, in whatever capacity the institution may deem appropriate, to bring their skills, training, and passion to support its continued growth and excellence.

The overall best graduating student decried the enormous challenges lecturers of the department and the university as a whole are facing due to limited manpower and appealed to the university management to also employ professional producers and technical personnel.

She recounted the experiences and challenges she faced during her years of academic studies, noting that resilience, hard work, determination, and being focused were the bedrock of her success.

She dedicated the award to her parents for their untiring efforts in ensuring that her academic fortunes were not cut short.

By: Akujobi Amadi

Education

Students Free to Choose Any WAEC Subjects of Their Choices – FG

Published

7 days ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government has reaffirmed that senior secondary school students whether in arts, commercial or science classes are free to register any approved subject of their choice for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), as confusion over the revised curriculum continues to generate debate across the country.

The clarification came in a press statement issued on Saturday and signed by Boriowo Folashade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, following widespread misinformation circulating on social media and within some schools.

According to the ministry, contrary to claims that students must strictly remain within their designated subject tracks, “there is no restriction or exclusion attached to the selection of any approved subject under the Senior Secondary School Curriculum.”

Officials said the curriculum was intentionally designed to be flexible, student-centred and supportive of diverse academic and career interests.

Under the guidance, science students may select subjects traditionally grouped under the arts or social sciences, just as arts and commercial students may choose science-designated subjects provided such choices are supervised by school authorities, parents or certified counsellors.

The ministry also clarified public concerns surrounding the subject formerly known as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), confirming it has been renamed Digital Technology.

The statement emphasised that the change is purely in nomenclature and does not alter the curriculum content or disadvantage students who previously took ICT in school.

Regarding Trade Subjects, the ministry noted that six trades have been approved under the curriculum.

Students may register any of these trades only if the subjects are offered by their schools and they have been taught them. However, the government stressed that students who have never been exposed to any of the six trade subjects are under no obligation to register one as a third subject.

This clarification comes as WAEC registration for the 2026 examination cycle continues nationwide. WAEC recently urged schools to ensure accurate subject entries before the January deadline, warning that mistakes in registration especially in subject combinations have increasingly led to withheld or invalid results in previous years.

The announcement also aligns with ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s education sector. Earlier this year, the ministry began rolling out teacher retraining and digital learning initiatives aimed at boosting performance in core WAEC subjects, following several exam cycles that showed inconsistent pass rates in mathematics and English.

Nigerian universities often require specific subject combinations for competitive courses such as medicine, engineering, law, accounting and mass communication.

The ministry urged the public to rely solely on verified information, noting that misinformation remains a major challenge during examination cycles. It said further updates will be issued as reforms continue across the senior secondary school system