Education

Oil Firm Commissions Workshop In UNIPORT

Published

12 years ago

December 9, 2013

As part of its University
Assistance Programme (UAP) aimed at supporting youth development and capacity-building in Nigeria, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (EEPNL) , a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil, has formerly handed over a fully-equiped Geosciences Workshop to the Department of Geology, Faculty of Physical Sciences and Information Technology, University of Port Harcourt.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the company’s General Manager, Operations Technical Geosciences, Mr Andrew Ejayeriese, said the donation would impact on the quality of Geoscience graduates turned out by the university.
The General Manager, who was represented at the event by the manager, Deep water Production Geoscience, Mr Goodluck Adagbasa, remarked that the company’s gesture would be followed by training of three personnel of the department to man the facility.
“The gesture is aimed at enhancing and complementing the skills of the lecturers, who in turn are expected to train students and other colleagues on the use of the equipment”, he said.
Mr Adagbasa, who also commended Schlumberger Nigeria Limited for providing the petrol interpretation software installed in the machines, mentioned the donated items to include hardware for high-end precision dual core, dell work stations, one external hard drive, 13 com, 16 ports switch, 8″ 24 flat screen monitors and a 30 KVA electricity generating set.
Noting that the equipment was similar to what was in use today in the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas in the petroleum industry, the company boss stressed the need to use it well for research.
Describing University of Port Harcourt as a centre of Excellence in Geosciences in the Sub-Saharan Africa, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Prof EtheIbert Nduka, who stood in for the Vice Chancellor Prof Joseph Ajienka thanked Esso for considering UNIPORT as one of the 18 universities in the country to benefit from the University Assistant Programmes.

Chris Oluoh

Cross section of students of School of the Handieapped, at the celebration/commemoration of the 2013 International Day of Persons with Disabilities in Port Harcourt, recently.
Photo: Chris Monyanaga

Education

Rivers NYSC Cordinator task corps members on peace building

Published

6 days ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

Corps Members have been urged to use the rich cultural heritage of Nigerians to promote peace in the state and country at large.

The Rivers State Coordinator of NYSC Mr. Moses Oleghe gave the charge during the inter-platoon cultural carnival competition for 2025 Batch C Corps Members deployed to the State orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam Tai held over the weekend.

Oleghe while addressing the Corps Members, further charged them to be a “source of light in their host communities,” noting that the “symbolic lighting of the cultural carnival torch means that every Corps Member must be the light that dispels darkness.”

He urged them to integrate and internalize the culture of the people of their area where they serve, strengthen cultural practices that promote human dignity, rights, and respect.”

The radiant and colorful event witnessed the regeneration and rebirth of various ethnic cultures by the Corps Members.

At the end of the competition, 4 platoon was adjudged the overall best, 9 platoon 2nd and 6 platoon 3rd.

Education

RSU Best Graduating Student Makes Case for Absorption of Graduates

Published

6 days ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

Miss Chukwuka Christabel Chidnma, one of the best overall graduating students of Rivers State University (RSU), Nkpolu/Oroworukwu, Port Harcourt, has advocated for the retention of the best graduating students of the institution to fill the gap in teaching staff in the institution.

Chidnma, who was adjudged the overall best graduating student of the class of 2023/2024 academic session in the just-concluded 37th and 38th combined convocation ceremony of the university, had a CGPA of 4.88 from the Department of Theatre and Film Studies in the Faculty of Humanities.

She made the call while delivering her valedictory speech at the awards of the first degree on Saturday, saying the call becomes imperative to ensure that the department and the university at large continue to thrive and maintain academic standards.

She opined that she and her colleagues would be eager to contribute to the workforce of the development and the school in general, in whatever capacity the institution may deem appropriate, to bring their skills, training, and passion to support its continued growth and excellence.

The overall best graduating student decried the enormous challenges lecturers of the department and the university as a whole are facing due to limited manpower and appealed to the university management to also employ professional producers and technical personnel.

She recounted the experiences and challenges she faced during her years of academic studies, noting that resilience, hard work, determination, and being focused were the bedrock of her success.

She dedicated the award to her parents for their untiring efforts in ensuring that her academic fortunes were not cut short.

By: Akujobi Amadi

Education

Students Free to Choose Any WAEC Subjects of Their Choices – FG

Published

6 days ago

December 8, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government has reaffirmed that senior secondary school students whether in arts, commercial or science classes are free to register any approved subject of their choice for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), as confusion over the revised curriculum continues to generate debate across the country.

The clarification came in a press statement issued on Saturday and signed by Boriowo Folashade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, following widespread misinformation circulating on social media and within some schools.

According to the ministry, contrary to claims that students must strictly remain within their designated subject tracks, “there is no restriction or exclusion attached to the selection of any approved subject under the Senior Secondary School Curriculum.”

Officials said the curriculum was intentionally designed to be flexible, student-centred and supportive of diverse academic and career interests.

Under the guidance, science students may select subjects traditionally grouped under the arts or social sciences, just as arts and commercial students may choose science-designated subjects provided such choices are supervised by school authorities, parents or certified counsellors.

The ministry also clarified public concerns surrounding the subject formerly known as Information and Communication Technology (ICT), confirming it has been renamed Digital Technology.

The statement emphasised that the change is purely in nomenclature and does not alter the curriculum content or disadvantage students who previously took ICT in school.

Regarding Trade Subjects, the ministry noted that six trades have been approved under the curriculum.

Students may register any of these trades only if the subjects are offered by their schools and they have been taught them. However, the government stressed that students who have never been exposed to any of the six trade subjects are under no obligation to register one as a third subject.

This clarification comes as WAEC registration for the 2026 examination cycle continues nationwide. WAEC recently urged schools to ensure accurate subject entries before the January deadline, warning that mistakes in registration especially in subject combinations have increasingly led to withheld or invalid results in previous years.

The announcement also aligns with ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s education sector. Earlier this year, the ministry began rolling out teacher retraining and digital learning initiatives aimed at boosting performance in core WAEC subjects, following several exam cycles that showed inconsistent pass rates in mathematics and English.

Nigerian universities often require specific subject combinations for competitive courses such as medicine, engineering, law, accounting and mass communication.

The ministry urged the public to rely solely on verified information, noting that misinformation remains a major challenge during examination cycles. It said further updates will be issued as reforms continue across the senior secondary school system