Education
‘Reading Culture, Key To Success In Life’
A specialist in youth development, founder and coordinator, Young Minds International (YMI), a non-governmental organisation, Mrs Ibinabo Celestine Ogolo, has identified the culture of reading among secondary school students as key to achieving success and greatness in life.
Ogolo, stated this at a one-day seminar tagged, “The Importance of Education and the Nigerian Child: What Hope for the Future,” organised by the Vision of Effective Education Advocacy (EEAG), at Community Senior Secondary School, Kalio-Ama, last Tuesday.
She explained that what can change a person’s life was in a book, and enjoined young people to imbibe reading culture in order to be successful in life.
Represented at the occasion by the Treasurer, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Rivers State Chapter, Mrs Susan Serekara-Nwikhana, said that true greatness resides in the determination to achieve excellence in one’s chosen career.
In her keynote address titled: “Think Great, Choose Right,” Ogolo stated that: “A great life can be acquired as a result of allocating your time, energy, thoughts and hard work towards what you want to be in life, ever remaining focused, dedicated and committed to harnessing the great potentials deposited in you in order to attain greatness in life”.
“It is not about wasting precious time indulging in negative vices such as disobedience to parents and the elderly, stealing, examination malpractice, cultism, premarital sex, watching of pornographic movies, abortion, negative peer influence, among others,” she added.
She emphasised that a great life does not happen by chance, but through God’s wisdom to think, resourceful, adding that embedded in man are natural abilities, skills, talents and spiritual gifts that could make one great and successful in life.
While exploring the theme of the seminar, Ogolo said it can transform the educational system in Nigeria, if everyone, especially among primary, secondary, tertiary institutions’ students imbibes the culture of reading.
“Education and reading are a sine-qua-non to good life. They are two trending words that could easily transform the fortunes and status of an individual, society and country at large, if properly imbibed by everyone, especially those who have the capacity to become great,” Ogolo said.
In his opening remarks, Chairman of the occasion and Director, Rivers State Secondary Schools Board, Okrika Zone, Mr Mpaka Daniels, thanked the organizers, Daniels commended the EEAG for the noble idea, adding that since they came on board, the Senior Secondary School, Kalio-Ama, has remained the best and described the group as trail-blazers.
In his address of welcome, the Principal of Community Secondary School (CSS), Kalio-Ama, Mr Dafuro Papamie George, said the seminar was aimed at sensitizing and encouraging the students to discover, and actualise those inherent positive potential in them, adding that it was very important that they become useful to themselves, and contribut, meaningfully to the society and the country at large.
Also speaking, the Chairperson, EEAG, Mrs Asikiye Promise, said the group was formed to address the poor attitude of students as well as assist them to develop the boundless opportunities education offers, and expressed optimism that having discovered the solution to the above challenges; the body was hopeful that it would reverse the ugly trend.
In their various presentations, Dr Dumoateli Iboroma, who delivered a lecture on the “Dangers of Unwanted Pregnancies and Prevention from Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Infections (STDs and STIs),” described unwanted pregnancy as ‘one that is not planned or ready to have,’ and enjoined students to have positive dreams and work towards actualizing them.
He urged them to desist from acts capable of resulting into early or unwanted pregnancies, and infections, especially STDs, STIs, and Vesico Virginal Fistula (VVF).
In their presentation, Old Girls of Government Girls Secondary School, Harbour Road, 1983 set, Miss Adiki Ndamioku and Mrs Grace Manson Endeboh, who spoke on the topic “Problems Associated with Adolescent Sexuality,” attributed the increase in premarital sexual activities to the high level of poverty, hunger, lack of unemployment and large population of unskilled youth in the society.
Some students who spoke at the end of the seminar described the programme as good one that would impacted positively in their lives.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board has released the names of 5,600 newly recruited primary school teachers and 80 caregivers in the State.
The SUBEB Chairman, Nureni Adeniran, who announced this in Ibadan, the state capital, on Friday, explained that the list had been duly approved by the state Governor, Seyi Makinde.
“The newly appointed teachers and caregivers are the first batch of successful applicants from the recent recruitment exercise carried out by the board,” he said.
“The list will be uploaded on the portal and will be available for candidates to check their names from the portal.
A Professor of Accountancy in the Department of Accounting , Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Prof Lawyer Chukwumah Obara has advocated the adoption of African traditional values as a managerial tool to eradicate systemic corruption and mismanagement of public funds in governance.
According to him , the use of such African traditional methods like shrine oath-taking by public servants will deter such public officials from misappropriation of public funds while in office. He said accounting system is evolutionary science that recognises the practice of some pragmatic ideological practices such as African norms and values to fight corruption and mismanagement of funds that is predominantly noticed in both public and private governance.
Prof Obara stated this while delivering his inaugural lecture at the 106th inaugural lecture series of the state university with the topic, “Pragmatic Ideologies and Visionary Accounting: Reinforcing the Helmet, “ held at the Senate auditorium,last Wednesday.
He noted that all the 36 States including the Federal Capital Territory in the country can convinently survive without any federal allocation if they embrace pragmatic ideological accounting systems that are visionary accounting methods.
“Every State must adopt pragmatic approaches in their accounting system,there should be accountability and transparency, ,we must be flexible in our Constitution as constitutional rigidity is bane of the growth of the nation and we must go back to our root , traditional values and that will promote wonderful accounting system and the world will celebrate us,”he stated.
The erudite scholar noted that Accounting science helmet provides a safety umbrella to shade RAIR from shady accounting practices and can serve as both protective measure and forward looking.
Mr Vice Chancellor,in the foregoing senses, reinforcement can increase the probability that the accounting’ behaviour will occur again in similar situations.This implies that reinforcing the helmet is a powerful tool in shaping accountants behaviour, learning and development and this can lead to more effective strategies in accounting therapy and everyday interactions”,he stated.
The lecture examined the evolution of philosophical thought in accounting, notion of pragmatic ideologies in accounting, visionary accounting paradigm , transparency , differences and similarities,the helmet metaphor : balancing protection progress.
He posisted that accounting plays vital role in the socio-economic development of nations , stressing that Accounting is the instrument for financial management , transparency, and resource allocation.
“Over the years ,the accounting system has undergone significant transformations influenced by historical developments , regulatory reforms, and the adoption of global standards which serve as the helmet reinforcing and protecting socio_economic development.”
Reinforcement is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology and learning theory, particularly in the context of operant conditioning. it refers to any stimulus or event that increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated in the future.It can be understood as a mechanism that encourages certain behaviors through rewards or consequences,”he stated.
In concluding, Prof Obara stated that Nigeria’s economic landscape demands an accounting profession that is both pragmatic and visionary .
Earlier in his speech,the Vice Chancellor of the university Prof Nlerum Sunday Okogbule represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Prof Victor Akujuru the lecture said is valuable and is capable to advancing the growth and development of any society if adopted, even as he commended the lecturer for a thoughtful and impacted inaugural lecture.
By: Akujobi Amadi
A team of board members and directors of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board led by Member in charge of Supervision / Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha visited Ogboloma,a riverine community in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of the State to inspect a six classroom block built single handedly by the community recently.
Speaking at the King’s palace shortly after inspecting the building and facilities in the school, Chief Anucha, who represented the board chairman, Alabo David Briggs, commended the people of Ogboloma for remaining united and working in synergy for the good of the community and the younger generation.
While assuring them that the board chairman would surely be briefed on the effort so far made by the community in encouraging education in the area, Anucha expressed optimism that he (Briggs) will not hesitate to give his approval for the school to kick off and called on the people to see education as the responsibility of all.
He used the medium to thank the King of Ogboloma His Highness Micah Brother, the councilor, Hon. Thomas Carlson; CDC Chairman, Lucky Brave Egba, Chiefs and elders and youths for working in synergy for the progress of community.
Also speaking, the board member in charge of projects Dr. Walson Ominini lauded the people for promoting education in the area, assuring them that their effort will not be in vain.
Earlier in his speech, the King of Ogboloma, His King Micah Brother thanked the bfor finding time to visit the community, pointing out that the six classroom block was the singular effort of the community and appealed to the board chairman to give approval for the school to kick off.
The King who spoke through the councillor representing the area, Hon. Thomas Carlson narrated how children in the community are trekking long distances to neighbouring communities in search of quality education and sometimes would be bitten by snakes called on the board to come to their aid as government presence is not in any way felt in the community.
The chiefs also spoke, thanking the board officers for coming to see things for themselves.
By: Akujobi Amadi