Acting Vice-Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE), Prof. Okechukwu Onuchukwu, has expressed gratitude to the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for his commitment to develop the state’s education sector, particularly IAUOE.
Speaking during his New Year message to staff and students of the university, the VC stated that the governor has, through the numerous huge investments in education, secured the future of Rivers youths.
This, he said, was in the face of the challenges warranted by the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has paralysed numerous economies, including educational systems.
“The persisting COVID-19 pandemic and its mutating variants have disrupted the way lecturers teach, engage in research and learn in educational ecosystems as well as the way businesses are carried out in the wider society”, he said.
He, therefore, noted that the dwindling revenue available to government at all levels means reduced budgetary allocations to fund priority areas across board.
“The scenario raises the need to adapt to the changing times that we are compelled to live in these days,” the VC noted.
Onuchukwu, therefore, thanked Wike for what he called “his abiding interest and investment in education in Rivers State”.
The acting VC used the fora to urged staff of the university to continue to focus attention on a strong mix of academic infrastructure and public service and to develop a distinctiveness that would enable the institution to consistently attract talented learners and motivated faculty.
While wishing staff and students of the institution a new year of endless possibilities, the VC enjoined them to redouble their effort to deliver high impact research that can solve Industry problems, usher in quality education and offer wider experiences to students, engage in public service consistent with world-class benchmarks that would guarantee long term stability in diversified range of the university activities.
On plans for the year 2022, Onuchukwu reiterated that the university would invest heavily in information technology infrastructure in order to reduce the digital divide between the institution and the rest of the world, noting that this would enable the university forge mutually beneficial institutional linkage programmes with reputable universities and research institutions around the world to internalise academic content of IAUE.
He said that “academics would be motivated to turnout ground breaking research works and innovations that would enhance institutional visibility and social viability”, while also soliciting for continued support from staff to record more progress in the established tradition of academic excellence, “which is the core mandate of the citadel of learning as educators, and character moulders.
“Let us make Ignatius Ajuru University of Education the first choice destination for the best brains”, he said.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo