Education
Board Demotes Head Teacher In C’River
The head teacher of Obanjom Memorial Primary School, Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, Mr. Obongho Linus Ikpi has been demoted to a classroom teacher.
His demotion was ordered by the Cross River State Universal Basic Education Board (CR-SUBEB) for payslip forgery.
The payslip was purportedly forged to enable the suspect access computer allocation from the Head of Service. “SUBEB checked records and discovered that the alleged deduction in the payslip was not recorded there. Upon further interrogation, Ikpi confessed to having forged the payslip”, a source said.
Confirming the forgery, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr Stephen Odey who expressed disappointment over the incident said: “This man came to my payroll unit with this payslip claiming that some money was deducted from his salary for computer and when he went to Head of Service to collect the computer, they told him to come here for refunds because the money he was claiming wasn’t remitted to them from SUBEB”. Odey said the demotion of the suspect was to serve as deterrent to others.
“To serve as a deterrent, we have decided to demote and suspend him while investigation continue. We have directed that the Executive Secretary should inform the deputy to take over as head teacher with immediate effect”, Odey said.
Warning teachers to desist from all forms of criminality, Odey said that eagle eye of the Board was upon them. “We are setting an eagle eye on teachers because from what he told us, we believe strongly that others have either attempted to do this or are doing this’, he said.
In his confessional statement, Ikpi said, “I doctored pay advice for the month of January 2018 with an amount of three thousand six hundred and ninety-five naira for collection of computer equipment from Head of Service. The act was discovered by SUBEB payroll staff”.
He however appealed to the Board for forgiveness.
“I am pleading that I should be forgiven for such obnoxious behavior. It will never happen again,” he appealed.
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.