Education

410 Indigent N’Delta Pupils Get Shell Scholarships

Published

10 years ago

September 19, 2016

Seven years after the
launch of the Cradle-To-Career (C2C) scholarship scheme in 2010 for brilliant indigent pupils in public primary schools in hard-to-reach communities in the Niger Delta, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC), has now increased the number of beneficiaries of the special education development programme in the three core pilot States of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers to 410.
Inducting 60 new beneficiaries into the fully-funded secondary school scholarship scheme at Jephthah Comprehensive College, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, SPDC said the pupils were painstakingly selected through a transparent and rigorous examination process by a Non-Governmental Organisation, and enrolled into four of the best secondary schools in the country for quality education.
Speaking at the induction ceremony, last Friday, SPDC General Manager, External Relations, Mr Igo Weli, said that “in spite of the low oil price in the global market and the economic challenges in the country, we have kept faith with our commitment to support Nigerian youth, especially the less-privileged, by offering them scholarship, not just to be educated, but also to attend some of the best schools in the country.”
Weli said that the students have been admitted to undertake rigorous secondary education at Jephthah Comprehensive Secondary School, Brookstone Secondary School, Bloombreed High School, and Archdeacon Brown Education Centre, all in Port Harcourt, urging the 60 scholars to turn their special privilege into vast opportunities by working hard to excel at all times.
Advising the students to always maintain top-of-the-class academic records, the general manager, assured that SPDC would continue to fund their educational career in line with existing education support initiatives.
“The C2C approach marks a significant improvement in our portfolio of scholarship schemes,” he said, pointing out that, “It is designed to bridge educational gaps resulting from geographic and social-economic differences as well as help enhance high quality literacy levels in the Niger Delta and Nigeria while meeting UNESCO’s ‘Education for All’ goal.”
In his remarks, Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Prof Kaniye Ebeku, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Patricia Wudhiga Ogbonnaya, commended SPDC for keying into one of the visions of Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration to revive and inspire excellence in education in the state, and charged other corporate organisations to emulate the bold initiative.
The Director of Basic Education, Bayelsa State Ministry of Education, Dr Elizabeth Alagoa, who also represented the Commissioner, Deacon Markson Fefegha, expressed the government’s appreciation to SPDC for always stepping in to support the state’s education programmes, and challenged the new scholars to work hard by utilising every available resources to turn around their lives to enable them contribute to the development of their communities, states and the nation.
In his goodwill message, Director, Basic Education, Delta State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Moses Onoriode Bragiwa, who represented the Commissioner, Chiedu Ebie, while lauding SPDC for sharing the burden of educating the youth of the region, solicited for greater intervention by corporate bodies in critical sectors to assist the government fast-track the development process, especially at this austere period of economic crisis.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana

Education

Uniport Appoints Prof. Princewill R. Chike as 10th Vice-Chancellor

Published

2 weeks ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

The Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt has approved the appointment of Professor Princewill R. Chike as the 10th Vice-Chancellor of the University.

Prof. Chike, a former Commissioner for Health in Rivers State, will succeed Prof. Georgewill Owunari whose tenure ends on July 13, 2026.

A statement signed by the University’s Public Relations Officer, Dr. Sam Kpenu and made available to _The Tide_, said the appointment was made by the 17th Governing Council following the successful conclusion of the selection process.

“The process was conducted in strict compliance with the provisions of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act and the University of Port Harcourt Act,” the statement read.

It added that the process involved the constitution of a Search Team and a Joint Council-Senate Selection Board. Both bodies carried out their responsibilities in accordance with extant laws and regulations governing the appointment of Vice-Chancellors in Nigerian universities.

According to the statement, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, congratulated Professor Chike on his appointment.

Senator Ohuabunwa expressed confidence in Prof. Chike’s ability to provide visionary leadership for the continued growth and development of the University.

Professor Princewill R. Chike is expected to formally assume office as the 10th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt on July 13, 2026.

By: Akujobi Amadi

Education

Education commissioner Commends WAEC Conduct in Rivers ,, Vows Sanctions for Malpractice

Published

2 weeks ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended the orderly conduct of the ongoing 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state and urged schools to sustain the standard.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation recently during a monitoring tour of selected secondary schools in Port Harcourt and environs where the WAEC exam is ongoing.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by directors and monitors from the Ministry of Education, said he was impressed with the peaceful atmosphere at the centres visited.

“The students conducted themselves properly and wrote their papers under conducive conditions. Invigilators and supervisors also performed their duties professionally,” he stated.

Nwagor noted that the Rivers State Government had invested heavily to ensure the smooth and credible conduct of the examination across the state

He urged candidates to reciprocate government’s effort by shunning all forms of examination malpractice and focusing on their studies.

“Government has done so much to ensure successful examinations in our schools. Students should take advantage of it by remaining focused,” the commissioner said.

While no case of malpractice was recorded in the centres inspected, Dr. Nwagor warned that any principal, teacher, invigilator, or official caught aiding malpractice would face strict sanctions in line with regulations.

He also commended school administrators, teachers, WAEC officials, and security personnel for upholding the integrity of the process. Centres visited included County Grammar School, Ikwerre/Etche; Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Borokiri; Government Secondary School, Borokiri; and Pabod Model Secondary School.

By: Akujobi Amadi

Education

RSU Law Professor Calls for Periodic Review of Nigeria’s Criminal Laws

Published

2 weeks ago

June 8, 2026

The Tide

A Professor of Criminal Justice and Law at the Faculty of Law, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwu, Port Harcourt, Prof. Clifford Anaele Nwanyanwu, has advocated for periodic review of the nation’s criminal justice administration laws to reflect current societal needs and challenges.

Prof. Nwanyanwu noted that many of the criminal justice laws in use today date back to the pre-colonial era. He questioned their efficiency in addressing modern criminal justice administration, adding that the complex nature of adjudication often allows crime to thrive.

He made the call while delivering the university’s 132nd Inaugural Lecture on Wednesday at the Senate Conference Auditorium titled: “Society as Criminal Enterprise: Unravelling a Complex Justice System.”

The erudite legal scholar clarified that the lecture was not meant to condemn the country’s justice system. Instead, he said it was intended to highlight areas that require urgent attention.

He expressed concern that criminal justice practice in Nigeria is more dysfunctional than functional, and stressed that he wants to see a system that works effectively for all citizens.

“The essence of criminal justice administration is due process, and anything contrary is not it. Plea bargains help to fast-track trial processes and reduce delays,” he stated.

However, Prof. Nwanyanwu expressed worry that the sums recovered through plea bargain arrangements are often meagre compared to the wealth looted, noting that this contradicts the purpose of the arrangement.

To strengthen the system, he recommended merit-based recruitment of judicial officers with proven character and integrity. He also called for adequate funding, infrastructure development, removal of political interference, and ethical reorientation within the judiciary.

The law professor further recommended that the state should pay compensation to citizens when security officers are found culpable for arbitrary killings, in line with the principle of vicarious liability.

In his remarks, Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, commended the lecturer. He described the lecture as timely and relevant to addressing the nagging challenges of crime in society.

Prof. Zeb-Obipi expressed concern over the justice system’s inability to curb the rising rate of criminal activities in the state. He added that through inaugural lectures, the university continues to provide solution-based approaches to societal challenges.

Our correspondent reports that the thought-provoking lecture was attended by stakeholders in the judicial system, judges, magistrates, scholars, and members of the university community.

By: Akujobi Amadi