Education
Staff, Students Charged To Protect University’s Image
Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, has charged staff and students of the university to protect the image of the institution by living up to expected standard.
“We are not running this university alone. We have other stakeholders, so we need to secure the image of the university.”
Onuchuku gave the charge during the university’s 41st convocation ceremony held at the university’s Auditorium, recently.
He announced a total number of graduating students for the academic session as 3,209, giving the breakdown to include First Class, Second Class Upper Division, Second Class Lower Division and Third Class.
“For the 2021/2022 academic session, we are graduating 20 First Class, 763 Second Class Upper Division, 2,367 Second Class Lower Division and 59 Third Class, totaling 3,209.
He said students must endeavor to obey university rules and regulations and engage themselves in meaningful activities, as the school has a zero tolerance for examination malpractices.
“We are determined to censor the few bad eggs, who brings the image and reputation of this university into disrepute and ridicule.
“The management has zero tolerance for corruption and cultism and it’s ready to show culprits the way out of this university.
“In a Duncan world in which social media is every part of our life, it is important that all staff and students must conduct themselves in a manner befitting of a people in a selected community of scholars and administrators.
“Our duty as educators is to help our students to interpret knowledge in a way to conform to 21st century information technology,” he said.
Onuchuku while calling for collaboration with industries and other stakeholders assured that all hands must be on deck to ensure there is adequate security in the area.
“We must continue to collaborate with industries and other stakeholders particularly in research and development in order to address the problem of the society powered by the triple ellipse principles. I am pleased to report that we have actively forged a closer partnership with the law enforcement agencies and host communities. Luckily, our proactive measures have brought near zero security breaches in and around the university. The relative peace we enjoy in this university will be sustained. I will like to add that we are doing close monitoring with the security agencies to ensure there is no victim”, he said.
He thanked host communities and security agencies for their unalloyed support, love and understanding.
Onuchuku further charged the graduating students to go out to the world and show proof of their merited grades.
“Having properly scrutinised your express qualifications and approved that you will be conferred with a degree, the Senate of the university has confirmed that you have been found worthy both in character and learning. It is now your own turn to prove to the university and the world that you merited your grades and that you can defend your certificates with pride and honour. If you bring shame to yourself, then, you bring shame to the university,” he added.
He used the opportunity to thank the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike for the many interventions made in the school since his assumption of office.
On her part, the overall best student of the institution, Worlu Jeanetta Worluh in her valedictory speech, charge her fellow graduands to always strive to be great.
Fellow graduands, I believe the future is very bright, for we are our own destinies. Despite the economic, political, security challenges, to mention but a few, that plague our dear country, we must not forget that one man can change the world. Change begins with us. The transformation we desire must start from us. In Simple terms, charity begins at home.”
Worluh as well encourage students of the University to take their studies seriously and never to give in to negative vices
“To students in their current programmes, your dreams and aspirations are valid, do not relent. Your being here is not a mistake. You must make most of it. For anything worth doing is worth doing well. You must avoid any deviant behaviour and abide by the rules and regulations of the University.
She promised to represent the school well as well make her parents to be more proud of her.
Also speaking, a graduating student of Management Sciences, who hails from Ikwerre, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Miss Peace Azeru expressed joy and excitement that despite her poor background, she managed home front with her aged mother and siblings and scale through her academic hurdles.
“I am so excited today to be among those graduating because I never thought I could make it considering my poor background and no one to train me, but despite all odds I put my trust in God and today, I am a graduate of Management Sciences.
“I want to charge all those who are passing through the same thing to know that education is key to getting out of poverty and become rich, so no matter the challenge include education, so that you become useful citizens of your country. Never give in to cultism and other negative vices,” Azeru added.
By: Susan Serekara-Nwikhana
The Executive Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Alabo David Briggs and his Post Primary Schools Board, counterpart, Dr. Sam Emejuru recently embarked on a joint visit to Model Girls Secondary School, Mbodo Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Arera of Rivers State.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after interacting with the students, Alabo Briggs said both of them were in the school to know how the students are faring, how happy they are, and to also know their areas of need and then take pragmatic decisions that would enhance the wellbeing of the students.
Describing the school as the only boarding school in Rivers State made up of Senior and Junior Secondary, the UBE boss said the visit has actually afforded them the opportunity to know what is lacking in the school, and promised that every machinery would be adequately put in place to ensure that the school is made more attractive and students well taken care of.
He further maintained that the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and staff of the school must rise to the occasion so as to bring back the lost glory of the school and ensure that the students are treated and well handled like their own children.
Corroborating the UBE boss, Dr. Sam Emejuru of the Post Primary School promised that everything possible would be done to reposition the school, and appealed to all concerned to be patient.
During the visit, the two Board chairmen and their members met with the school authorities wherein issues bordering on the school were discreetly ironed out and some good changes made.
Alabo Briggs also gave cash to some of the students that performed well in the essay competition that took place in Port Harcourt.
The students were also given cartons of sanitary pads to mark the International Day of the Girl Child which was celebrated all over the world recently.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) support programme on report writing for Chief Supervisors and Evaluators of the Local Government Areas took place recently at the UBE Board Headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Addressing the participants, the Board member in charge of Supervision/Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha, described the programme as very interesting and educative as it is aimed at broadening the knowledge of the Chief Supervisors and Evaluators on report writing.
While thanking UBEC for the initiative, Chief Anucha also commended the resource persons who came from UBEC Abuja for doing a good job and appealed to the participants to see the support programme on report writing as an opportunity to do better.
Also speaking, the Board member, Project/Technical, Dr. Walson Ominini described the programme as a good one that all the participants must take seriously for the good of Rivers State.
Ominini used the medium to announce the personnel audit for staff of the Local Government Education Authorities in the three Senatorial zones coming up next week at the Board Headquarters adding that any staff of the LGEA who does not take part in the Audit should regard himself or herself as not being a staff of UBE.
In her vote of thanks, the Director, Quality Assurance, Mrs. Nnenna Osumenya thanked UBEC for the programme, and described it as a welcomed development.
She particularly thanked the Executive Chairman of the Board, Alabo David Briggs and the Board members for giving the programme the needed attention.
By: Akujobi Amadi
In cognizance of the value of reading in educational, career and knowledge pursuits, TotalEnergies Joint Venture(JV) Asset has committed itself to instilling the habit in students of secondary schools to enable them succeed in their academic pursuits and become good leaders of tommorow.
This, it is achieving through its Annual Book Reading and Open Day programme.
This year’s event, organised for Senior Secondary Schools in Rivers State,with the theme, ‘The World Is A Maze; Navigate It — Read’ and held at the Event Centre, TotalEnergies Office, PortHarcourt, explored the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’ by Ghanaian author, Alex Agyei Agyiri.
Participating schools chosen across Port Harcourt included Government Technical College, PortHarcourt; Bishop Crowther Memorial Secondary School, Rumuobiakani; Oginigba Comprehensive Secondary School; Community Secondary School, Rumuomasi, and Hilltop Prime International College.
Others were Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama; Government Senior Secondary School, Elekahia; Community Secondary School, Nkpogu; Dietams International Schools; and Community Secondary School, Abuloma.
In his address, the Deputy Managing Director, Joint Venture Asset, TotalEnergies EP, Nigeria Limited, Olivier Cassassoles, said reading habit remains a major essential needed for life’s development in information, direction and character building, and stressed the need for the students, many of whom he said would grow to become leaders to cultivate and sustain the culture.
Cassassoles, who was represented by the Executive Director, JV Asset, PortHarcourt, Obi Imemba, quoted former American President, Barack Obama’s words, “reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible” and stated that “this clearly aligns with the theme of the day and implies that in order to successfully navigate the complexities of life, one needs to read”.
Cassassoles said “as students, many of you will grow to be leaders and leaders need a lot of information to stay relevant. The books you read will shape your future and through them you will find wisdom to make a difference”.
According to him, the book reading event is one that the company holds dear to heart as it promotes the culture of reading among students in Nigeria.
While encouraging the students to make conscientious effort to research good books with themes and characters that align with what they intend to do in future, Cassassoles expressed the hope that the students would commit themselves to a life of reading, adding that “I expect that you will be leaving here with a clearer idea of the career path you want to pursue “.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma, described this year’s theme as ‘most appropriate’ at a time when students have abandoned the text book for not only the phone – Whatsapp, Twitter etcetera but other vices.
Represented by the Technical Adviser to the Commissioner, Dr Joy Nwamaka Joseph, Chukwuma noted that reading is an effective tool for engaging students in critical thinking, saying “a student that reads focuses attention on the task at hand, immersing them in information and improving his/her concentration and memory”, insisting that students must read in order to navigate this maze-like world successfully.
The Commissioner commended TotalEnergies for “always seeking to improve the educational standards of our pupils, students, under/post graduates in our institutions and for inspiring them to develop the habit of reading as a life style”.
Earlier, the Country Communications Manager, TotalEnergies, Charles Ebereonwu, revealed that the annual reading event is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) targeted at making the best of future leaders.
In his closing remarks, the Special Adviser, People and Talent Management, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Samuel Nkwo, lauded the students for going beyond reading the book to taking lessons there from.
“What has happened here today has given us encouragement that this is a good thing to do and that we should continue to do it” Nkwo said.
Highlights of the event included reading and discussion of the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’, questions and answers session and presentation of gift items including school bags, solar lamps, books among others to the students.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu