In fulfilment of Governor Nyesom Wike’s promise to ensure that every Rivers child has access to education and equal opportunities, the Rivers State Government has begun the processes that will lead to the payment of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination fees for eligible Rivers State students in SS3.
According to the state Ministry of Education, principals of public and private schools are to register all eligible students on the platform of Rivers Education Management Information System, RIVEMIS on www.rivemis.riversstate.gov.ng
In a statement made available to The Tide last Friday, following a meeting with principals of public and approved private senior secondary schools, the state Commissioner for Education, Pro Kaniye Ebeku said Governor Nyesom Wike was desirous of impacting the lives of Rivers people.
Prof Ebeku stated that the registration on RIVemis is to furnish the state government with the accurate number of students eligible for the examination.
He directed the principals to ensure that all eligible Rivers students were uploaded on the platform before the close of work on Tuesday, 14th January, 2020.
The Education Commissioner warned against uploading names of persons who are not Rivers State indigenes and students on the platform.
“Our Governor, who is education friendly as well as infrastructure friendly has in his wisdom decided to improve on the problem of access by ensuring that all students in SS3 have the opportunity to write the WAEC examination at the appropriate time and also to write NECO. I have been directed by the governor to ensure that all eligible candidates are presented to him as early as Monday (Jan 13, 2020), so that he can do the needful by releasing the money to pay for their JAMB.
“This is why we asked you to come within the short notice, we need your assistance to get the authentic list as soon as possible.”
Also speaking, Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT, Ibufuro Asawo, explained that the registration of students on the RIVemis platform is free.
He expressed worry that many schools were yet to take advantage of the platform despite series of campaigns by the ICT department on social and conventional media.
However, he expressed readiness to ensure all students of the schools were uploaded on the platform before the deadline with the cooperation of principals of senior secondary schools in Rivers State.
On her part, JAMB Zonal Coordinator for Rivers State, Oyinkansola Odhigada, lauded the state governor for the decision of sponsoring Rivers indigenes for the examination.
Odhigada hinted that the examination board will commence mock exams in preparation for the UTME on the 18th of January and expressed the willingness of the board to work in synergy with the state government through the Ministry of Education.

Susan Serekara-Nwikhana