Education
RSG Makes Huge Investment In Education Dev-Ebeku
Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Professor Kaniye Ebeku, has stated that the state government is making huge investments in the education sector.
In a statement made available to The Tide by the Special Adviser to the Commissioner for Education, Faustina Nwanekwu, in Port Harcourt last Wednesday, the Education Commissioner revealed that over a billion naira has been expended for the registration of about 60 thousand candidates in public schools for the examination.
Professor Ebeku reiterated government’s commitment in funding external examinations in public schools across the state.
He said, “The state government is making a lot of investments in the field of education. Last year, I checked the aggregate of expenditure for the external examinations sponsorship and I said that it was over one billion; some of you thought I was kidding and were living in denial”.
“Today, I have come to show you that only for WAEC 2022 sponsorship, the government has spent about one billion Naira. You can go to WAEC to verify this information. So you can see that the state is spending billions of naira to fund and sponsor candidates in public schools in the State for the examinations”.
He also reiterated the warning against examination malpractices in the forthcoming examinations, noting that any staff caught might risk dismissal.
In his words, “the state government, the Ministry of Education, have zero tolerance for examination malpractice. We have reiterated our warning to the school principals that if we catch them for examination malpractices and WAEC sanctions them, we will sanction the principal by dismissal”.
Speaking further, have Ebeku cautioned‘ principals against enlisting external candidates for the examinations, noting that any principal involved in registering external candidates for government- funded WASSCE, NECO, NABTEB, BECE will be made to refund monies collected to the state government.
He said, “Also, there are some malpractices on the part of some of the principals in sponsoring those they should not sponsor and we have called them to recant”.
The briefing was well-attended by school Principals across the 23 local government areas of the State. Also in attendance were Directors of the Ministry and Dr. Wisdom Ade, Acting Chairman, Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
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.