Education
Educationist Wants Redesign Of Education System
An educationist, Elfreda Diete-Spiff Omole, has called for the redesigning of Nigeria’s education system, where teachers will be the main drivers.
Omole, who is the Executive Director of Bere-Mont Group, made the call in a keynote address she presented at an event organised by the Federal Government Girls College Old Girls’ Association (FGGCOGA), to mark the 2023 World Teachers’ Day in Port Harcourt.
The occasion featured the presentation of awards to past and present teachers of the Federal Government Girls College, Abuloma, Port Harcourt, as well as the commissioning of a toilet facility for staff of the school, which was donated by the association.
Speaking on the topic: “Teachers Leading In Crisis: Re-imaging The Future”, the educationist, decried the shortage of teachers in the country’s education system.
She said: “Our education system must be streamlined to create a balance where teachers are the main drivers. That is the education system we need.
“But these days, there is shortage of teachers. With the shortage of teachers, the quality of our education system comes to question.”
In her welcome address, National President of FGGC Old Girls’ Association, Itoro Clement-Isong, said there was the need to change the narratives of teachers in the country.
Clement-Isong said: “Our vision which is rooted in deep appreciation for the transformative power of education, is to honour and celebrate these dedicated individuals, who devote their lives to moulding young minds.
“We recognise that many of our alumni have not had the opportunity to express their appreciation to the teachers who made a positive impact on their lives.
“Therefore, this event serves as a platform for us to come together and honour them, while also inspiring our current educators to cultivate positive attitudes and foster strong relationship with their students.”
On her part the Principal of FGGC, Aboluma, Mrs Dorathy Ukachukwu, charged teachers to know that they are nation builders and as such should maintained higher standard and moral ethics in the discharge of their duties bearing in mind that their reward is now on earth no longer in heaven.
A professor of Highway Engineering at the Rivers State University (RSU), Prof. Emmanuel Osilemme Ekwulo, has identified poor designs, inadequate materials, insufficient testing, and lack of accountability as major obstacles to the success of highway construction projects in the country.
Ekwulo made this remark in Port Harcourt last Wednesday during the 128th inaugural lecture series of the university, where he presented a lecture titled “Removing Roadblocks: Rebuilding a Foundation for Reliable Highway Pavement Infrastructure.”
The university don lamented the consistent premature failures of road construction projects nationwide, despite huge investments by the government at all levels, attributing the problem to neglected basics and systemic principles in the industry.
According to him, rebuilding the foundation technically, institutionally, and ethically is crucial to building strong and lasting pavements.
Ekwulo emphasized the need for political will, professional integrity, and commitment to engineering excellence to overcome the challenges.
“The metaphoric roadblocks are those challenges causing premature failures,” Ekwulo said, adding that identifying and addressing these roadblocks is key to rebuilding the nation’s highways.
He recommended that institutions involved in road design and construction adopt a mechanistic-empirical design approach, and develop a comprehensive framework for implementing the Nigerian Imperial and Mechanistic Pavement Design System (NEMPADS) approach.
Ekwulo also advocated for mandatory traffic load analysis, strengthened university-industry collaboration, and funding for applied pavement research.
Corruption, he noted, is a major challenge in the profession, saying severe punitive measures are needed to curb shabby practices leading to premature road failures.
The Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, described Ekwulo’s lecture as interesting and intriguing, highlighting the importance of implementing solutions to Nigeria’s highway challenges.
The Vice Chancellor also described Ekwulo’s proposals as practical and applicable to government and industry stakeholders.
He said the university is committed to research aligned with national development goals, referencing its NDV-12 responsive consortium production framework.
Zeb-Obipi noted that Ekwulo’s recommendations are timely and solution-driven, and will contribute to addressing Nigeria’s highway challenges.
Akujobi Amadi
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