Education
Proprietress Okays Govt’s Monitoring Of Schools
The proprietress of El-olam Global Academy, Ozodo, Ogbogoro,Port Harcourt, Pastor Zudonu Ovievai has commended the Rivers State Government for its efforts to improve the standard of education as it sets in motion machinery to inspect and monitor the standards and activities of schools across the state.
Pastor Ovievai who made the commendation recently in her office, in Port Harcourt, lauded the State Government for setting up a committee to check standards of schools, especially privately owned.
She, however, expressed fear that those saddled with the responsibility of certification of schools may have politicised the process, saying “some private school authorities who know government officials or members of committee get express accreditation, whereas those who do not have such connection, even when they meet all the requirements for approval, find it difficult to be certified.” She therefore advised that the right things should be done by the relevant government authorities.
On the issue of parents’ preference for the private schools to government schools, Pastor Ovievai contended that the private schools monitor their staff, students and activities better than the government schools, insisting: “ students from private schools become brighter compared to their counterparts in public schools due to extra efforts put by the private schools authorities”.
She further stated that her school has met the criteria for approval by the government, noting that the school has been approved severally in the past: “currently it is a WAEC centre”, she said, insisting that her school is up to date in personnel management, as well as facilities/equipment upgrading.
Welcoming the free education policy of the state government, the proprietress further advised government to strengthen efforts in provision of learning facilities, staff and monitoring in the public schools to favourably compete with the private schools. While stating that parents and guardians should not judge educational standard/quality by fees, she called on parents to look beyond fees.
“Most parents believe that the standard of a school is high when fees are high, and when fees are low the standard is low. This is not so. Parents should go for the best for their wards”, she said.
Pastor Ovievai urged the government to regulate fees for private schools in such a manner that it would be commensurate with what the schools give out to their students. She also noted the need for such fees to be kept at an affordable level for parents, while also expressing dismay over the proliferation of schools for the sole intent of profit making, describing such act as dishonesty.
Asked if the government’s free education and clampdown on substandard schools would affect admission of new students in her school ahead of the resumption, she said she would not know that until the schools fully resums but she expressed confidence that her schools (nursery, primary and secondary) would not be affected negatively.
Tamunoiminabo Fyneface
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.