Rivers
RSG Warns New Teachers Against Truancy
Some newly recruited
teachers in the Rivers State school system may face sanctions having failed to take their jobs seriously, months after their recruitment.
This disclosure was made by the Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Sir Ali Oruitemeka during a meeting with head teachers of both primary and secondary schools in Port Harcourt.
According to him, the board had observed that some newly recruited teachers have allegedly refused to disengage from their former employment, noting that the situation had given rise to series of absecondment from duty by some of the newly recruited teachers.
The Board Chairman who cited the case of schools in Port Harcourt where 10 of the newly recruited teachers were not found at their duty posts, warned that the government would no longer condone such act.
He also warned the head teachers against colluding with some of the new teachers in their various schools to perpetrate truancy, stressing that such act would deal a big blow on government’s efforts at reviewing the state’s educational system.
According to him, the recruitment of the new teachers by the government was meant to serve dual purposes of providing teachers to teach children as well as reducing the rate of unemployment in the state.
He, therefore, directed the head teachers to submit a nominal roll of academic staff in their schools to the board.
Board member 1, Hon. Lucky Worlu in his speech urged those at the meeting to cooperate with the board to check all forms of deficiencies in the system.
In his reaction, the Chairman Conference of Principals of Schools, Mr. Okoro Messiah said that head teachers would not compromise on their integrity by aiding and abetting truancy.
He also alleged that some of the new teachers posted to some local Government areas were still keeping to their old job.
In his view, Dr. Idawari Brown of Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Finima, Bonny, urged the board to check its system as some of the new teachers were in the habit of claiming transfer from one school to another.
General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo, with Vice, Chancellor Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. (Mrs) Rosemund Green Oshaogulu, during a launcheon organised by Nigerian Institue of Management, Chartered, Rumuolumeni chapter in Port Harcourt, last Friday.
The Rivers state Chief Judge, Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI has given an indication to sanction any lawyer who fail to comply with directive of a judge in the state to transferred a case to Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse for Alternatives Dispute Resolution.
Justice AMADI stated this during a brief ceremony held at the chief judge auditorium in port Harcourt Friday held to hand over certificates of operation to two private ADR chambers on Precarious Dispute Resolution Services and Harmony Arbitration and mediation center .
He urged the two private ADR centres to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and warned against compromising the standard of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR but should observed the regulations set out in collaboration regulation by the state Multi Door Court House.
Earlier in a address, the Director of the State Multi Door Courthouse, VICTOR NWEKE esq, highlighted some of the achievements of the Multi Door Courthouse especially in decongestion of court rooms.
NWEKE while disclosing how the department certified the two private ADR centres called for serious punitive measures be taken against any lawyer who fail to comply with a case referred to Multi Door Court House by a judge or magistrates in the state.
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the two certified private ADR centres, ALICE NIMI commended the State Judiciary and Multi Door Courthouse for the approval and assured that all the rules and regulations spelt out will be followed.
In a related development; the Rivers State Judiciary has assured its readiness to collaborate with Nigerian Securityding Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in using Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve some of the issues in their office.
The state Chief Judge , Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI made the promise when he received in audience the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE OLOWO and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office , Friday where issuees ADR utilization took centre stage.
He used the opportunity to brief his visitors on the hurdles judges faces daily in the court room and the need for the decongestion of the court room , stressing that one judge handle more than three hundred cases but that if lawyers and litigants adopt ADR practice court rooms can be releive of the daily congestions.
The state Chief Judge however urged NSCDC to ensure a wider sensitization of the members of the public on the practice of ADR for a better awareness and knowledge.
Earlier in his speech, the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE-OLOWO said the visit was to seek collaboration on the use of ADR in resolving some issues which he insisted would help decongest the courtrooms.
Our correspondent reports officials of the Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse led by the Director, VICTOR NWEKE led the team of NSCDC on a technical session where information on how to the fully in cooperated into the Multi Door Courthouse and operation of ADR will be emphasized.
Akujobi Amadi