Education
Educationist Tasks NUC On Accessible Varsity Education
The National Universities Commission (NUC) and other stakeholders in the education sector have been called upon to constitute a committee to make university education more accessible and result-oriented for the teeming population seeking tertiary education in Nigeria.
A seasoned educationist and former Zonal Director, Ministry of Education, Opobo/Nkoro LGA, Senibo Geoffrey Festus Toby, said that the commission and other stakeholders should be disturbed about the nation’s growing population and the high demand for higher education.
Speaking with The Tide on Wednesday at Opobo Town on the need for making education more accessible in Nigeria, Toby stressed that Nigeria’s 143 universities could only accommodate 500,000 students which represent 67 per cent of admission seekers.
According to him, “Nigeria currently is projected to be the third largest population by the year 2050. The concern of NUC and other stakeholders should be on how to educate this number of population when the need arises”.
He stressed that the NUC just commissioned team headed by a renowned scholar, Prof. Peter Okeb Ukolato to bring out acceptable blue-print that will help the nation to survive the population, explaining that the commission should also ensure that Nigerian universities catch up with global happenings.
Toby commended some Nigerian universities for partnering with United Kingdom’s University of Bradford for joint research and teaching.
As he puts it, seven Nigerian universities have signified interest to join the World Technology Universities Network (WTUN) championed by the UK’s University, such as the University of Port Harcourt, University of Benin, Rivers State University, University of Calabar, Akwa Ibom State University, University of Uyo, Niger Delta University and African University.
WTUN, he noted is a consortium of universities committed towards the provision of professional and vocational courses with excellent job prospects for graduates in Nigeria.
He, however, stated that the global university should run staff and students exchanges as well as joint teaching and research programmes.
The former education boss stressed on the need for the nation to entrench peace education in its institution’s curriculum.
Toby added that education was vital to the promotion of peace and mitigation against conflict in Nigeria.
Bethel Toby
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.