Education

Royal Father Lauds FG On Bayelsa Federal Varsity

Published

15 years ago

December 27, 2010

Federal Government has been commended for approval a Federal University to be sited in the Otueke community in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The paramount ruler of the community, HRH Lloyd Ogiasa made the commendation when he received the honourable Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi in his palace in Otuoke.

Otueke is the country home of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, Preisdent of Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Minister who was accompanied by the Bayelsa state Commissioner of Education, Chief Josephine Ezonbodor during the visit,was in Otuoke, to inspect the site of the recently approved federal university to be located in the community.

Ogiasa, who was full of appreciation to the government, noted that the establishment of the university would help address the imbalance in the distribution of federal institutions in the nation.

The paramount ruler noted that Bayesla state was one of the few states that lacked a federal university and described Otuoke as an upland community in contrast with most communities in the state that are waterlogged.

He assured the minister of the community’s preparedness to support the project with the donation of 200 hectares of land to enable the government commence the building of its permanent structures. In his response, Gbagi reinstated the commitment of the federal government to expand access to university education to all the geo-political zones in the nation, adding that the government was in a hurry to commence the project which he said was expected to be ready by September 2011, when academic activities are expected to commence.

I want to appeal to you to make this land available urgently to enable the federal government commence the project because we are hoping to start academic activities in the school by September 2011′, he stated.

He disclosed that the federal government recently released a whopping sum ofN1.5 billion as take off grant for each of the: recently approved federal university to enable the project commence in earnest.

The minister, who expressed satisfaction with the location of the site, directed the executive secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to put the necessary motion in place for the smooth take-over of the land with a view to commencing construction work.

Part of the 200 hectares university site is expected to accommodate the compound of the Gifted Children School, Otuoke, a special children school built by the state government but has since been closed down.

Education

Rivers NYSC Cordinator task corps members on peace building

Published

18 hours 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

18 hours 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

18 hours 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