Education
IAUE Seeks Modification Of Name
The Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Port Harcourt, has called on the Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike, to modify its name to Ignatius Ajuru University (IAU), for an all- round academic excellence.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Ozo-Mekuri Ndimele, made the call in his address at the University’s 38th Convocation Ceremony at the weekend.
Ndimele noted that amidst the institution’s progress in recent years, the name, Ignatius Ajuru has constituted a major setback to the attainment of the desired greatness which he said had cost the university a lot during verification by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
Ndimele stated that the vision of the university’s founding fathers was to have a specialised university to train teacher, regretting however, that the scope was limited.
In his words: “The greatest of all barriers to our attaining the desired greatness is our name. We agree with the vision of the founders to have a specialised university to train teachers, but the mandate is too limiting. Each time we want to introduce a new course in a core subject, so long as it is B.Ed; we pay heavily for NUC’s verification. We have sent a proposal to His Excellency for the modification of the name of the university from Ignatius Ajuru University of Education to Ignatius Ajuru University.”
Enumerating the challenges of the institution, Ndimele also revealed that the university lacked staff in critical areas of operation, stating that should the situation continue, it would lose the NUC’s accreditation upon next visit.
The Vice Chancellor said, “the university is grossly understaffed in critical areas of operation. Where a university runs her graduate programmes with about one-third of its workforce as adjunct professors/visiting scholars and paid from its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is bad enough. Staff recruitment is critical now than ever or we stand to lose accreditation in virtually all programmes when NUC visits by the first quarter of next year”.
Also speaking, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, IAUE, HRM King (Dr) Aaron Miller Ikuru, averred that a fundamental requirement of success in every given university system is the presence of high calibre academic staff, stating however that the university is currently deficient in that area.
Ikuru said that the university was at the threshold of another accreditation exercise and prayed the state governor for the kind approval of the university’s written appeal for staff recruitment.
Describing the vic-chancellor as an administrator per excellence, focused, diligent and a futuristic idealist, Ikuru said, “he has restructured the academic curriculum of the university by the remodelling of existing programmes and the addition of new programmes. Hence the preparation and submission of the Proposed Amendment Law of the University to His Excellency to conform with the current realities in the university. We pray His Excellency to direct the State House of Assembly consideration of the law for your assent, Sir”.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu
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.