Nelson Chukwudi
Some days back, precisely, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, Governing Councils were inaugurated for three tertiary institutions in Rivers State. Governor Siminalayi Fubara performed the inauguration.
The institutions include the Rivers State University (RSU), Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), and Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic (CEAPOLY).
Governor Fubara expressed solid confidence in the members who were so constituted into those councils. The members; reputable sons and daughters of the State, patriots with forward-looking mindsets, have in their care such noble task of bringing their wealth of experience to shore up the expectations of what those citadels must necessarily have been. These council members would supervise virtually every activity in those institutions. Their task demands results, such that will serve as tangible proof of their effectiveness. They have, however, assumed duties as governing council members.
But arising from the charge that was given to them by the Governor, they would commit to diligence and be keen with issues that relate to effective administration. The imperativeness of proper coordination of how resources are tracked, sourced and deployed will be far reaching to addressing funding issues. They would also refuse to be damped with those traits that show institutional corruption that they would meet, rather, they should be more decisive handling them so that such do not continue to frustrate the climate of excellence, prudence, and transparency.
The task is daunting. Yet, they would not chicken out concerning how to draw up measures that will address any problem of insecurity that may subsist on any of the campuses, while identifying weak administrators within the system. It would be proper understanding that would help them on how to tackle the challenges such weak administrators pose including, not only identifying, but also knowing what to do exactly with issues of poor capacity development of academic staff, among others.
Governor Fubara has hidden no intention about seeing the councils work in synergy and cooperate with the managements of those institutions in a manner that reduces friction so that expected success is not undermined. Empathy is part of traits associated with his administration. Human beings should be treated as humans. But recalcitrant tendencies are legally intolerable. That is how to draw the line. So, the councils should cater to issues of welfare of the staff, know exactly what to do with the issues of inadequate academic staff and fill the void.
Already, at the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, that challenge would be addressed. Governor Fubara had given the directive for the recommencement of the employment process hitherto cancelled last year. By the directive, only 869 persons will be employed. The previous exercise was marred by irregularities and it was cancelled.
This will be an entirely new process with fresh applications sought, received, sorted and those assessed qualified duly invited, interviewed and engaged. The directive exphasised that the process must be based on merit. The number of academic staff to be engaged must be more than those engaged as non-academic staff. The quotas are already specified.
He said: “I know the good people of Rivers State and the most energetic youths are waiting to hear something from me, and this is about the employment that was cancelled.
“Let me here and now approve the recommencement of employment of members of staff, both academic and non-academic, for Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, with this pronouncement.
“That employment exercise must be strictly on the basis of the initial approval of 869 with a percentage for the academic and non- academic staff.
“In the higher institutions, what is needed is academic staff and not too much of non-academic staff.
“Therefore, Pro-Chancellor and members of council, make sure that the exercise is strictly based on the approval, and those to be employed must be on merit basis and not man-no-man.
“It is an institution, a citadel of learning where you are supposed to impart knowledge. If you bring down the standard, I assure you we are creating monsters that will destroy our society. Therefore, there shouldn’t be any compromise.
“Therefore, we are saddling you with more tasking responsibility, and we believe you are going to deliver.
“I have no doubt in the delivery ability and capability of Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka. I know that at the end of this exercise, we will all be happy. Let me on this note wish you well as you discharge this onerous responsibility in this most critical time of our dear State.”
At the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, there are issues of staffing, poor condition of infrastructural facilities for both learning and administration. The demand is for more of such to be provided. The council has the charge of the Governor. Within available resources as much that can be achieved within the tenure, strides will be taken to addressing the existing deficit.
Also, members of the governing councils would be mindful in setting out an enduring premise that will engender sustainable improvement of the existing infrastructural facilities in all three institutions. Much more is the fact that the content of courses and curricula that are espouse to students reflect current reality.
In fact, educational outcome has become an issue to look at more closely. Governor Fubara has done so. He desires to see students, and indeed, graduates, boast about their educational worth, not on the strength of how much “grammar” they speak but what they can actually do with their hands. Acquiring skills has become so important these days amidst growing scarcity of pay jobs. Which is why Rivers students should benefit from functional educational coaching.
This is why the Governor recalled when Rivers State was among top States in the federation with competitive academic performance, and said it was time to return the State to that path of excellence.
He said, “We were noted for something exceptional in the education sector many years ago. When you come to Rivers State, you’ll see interesting competition in education. Today, the competition is no longer in education, it is in the number of violent incidents.
“We need to change the strategy, we need to let people understand that the only way that we will develop our State is with quality education.
“In China, the secret behind their success is their brain put in their hands. When they think, they make it happen. They don’t sit in their homes to think, they go to quality schools, no matter how it is. They are built to become useful to themselves and the society.”
Governor Fubara, therefore, charged members of the new council to do something different from the normal things that they see happening in the institution.
He said, “Make sure you give the polytechnic a direction. I have had a few complaints, and I strongly believe that by setting up this council today, all the issues in that school will be resolved.”
He specifically said: “We have issues of employment, we have issues of staff welfare, we have issues of indiscipline by members of the staff.
“I know quite alright that with the calibre of the council members, you have what it takes to put that institution on the right path.”
Within the policy thrust of the administration for the education sector, Governor Fubara has mapped out so succinctly, the place of functional education. Upon what is tenable, the focus, as he explained it to the council members, will be to build on, and consolidate on critical strides made already. First, it is to ensure universal access to education at all levels for Rivers children. Then, it would be to ensure that admission into university of study is competitive, and those students so admitted are trained to complete their study, eventually on merit.
Indeed, there are chains of academic engagements that can propel students forward in their education. Learning has to be so connected that the classroom and what happens therein, is not isolated from what the world demands. Governor Fubara wants the council members to help build those institutions to be where students can confidently get inspired to have a greater sense of purpose, self-efficacy, and curiosity towards gaining skills, knowledge, and qualifications in order to maintain employment as graduates.
So, the non-existence of an effective vocational training curricular, as a component of the total course package that should be made available to students at the undergraduate level of studies, is an identifiable gap that the councils would look into and contribute ideas and modalities on how to bridge it. Governor Fubara told members of the governing councils: “But I want to tell the world that we are focused and aware that we cannot grow if our energies are not channelled to education. Not just education, but purposeful education.
“Education that is creative. Education that gives you independence. We have left the era in the world where you speak too much grammar. We are in such times where it is what you can do with your hands.
“Our purpose for education is that we should bring back our academic programmes to where, at the end of your studies, you don’t need a job but you create the job. When one creates a job, you automatically employ others. That is what I want this council to see as their task.”
It is so explicit. Higher education in Rivers State should deliver on the promise of equity, excellence and hands-on gains. Such standard must be delivered to millions. It is to create a climate of self-reliance, where youths who are educated are also creators of jobs.
The Consolidation and Continuity mantra leaves no room to “dull the time.” Therefore, nothing should lag behind. Whatever level of success that seemed to have been recorded in those institutions as they had found on assumption, their mandate is to surpass it. It is doable challenge.
By all means, some existing norms in those tertiary institutions need to be given a tinkering. Some others require reshaping, and with effective administration, a climate of academic excellence will be fostered.
Academic excellence means much more to Governor Fubara. So, let it be said, though, that the attention of the Fubara-led administration is not only on the tertiary institutions. The policy thrust includes thinking out of the box to it right at other levels of education: primary and secondary.
In fact, when Governor Fubara inaugurated the councils, he laid bare the reasons why greater attention needed to be given to the school-aged children who are at their moulding stages in life. A case to reference was what Governor Fubara drew attention to, explaining the pathetic fate of male children who live in the Diobu axis of Port Harcourt.
At Diobu, a densely populated area in the heart of Port Harcourt, no secondary school exists that would admit males. Even as bad as that already is, the approximately four square kilometres stretch, majorly inhabited by low-income earners, also has just two secondary schools for girls. This leaves the boys vulnerable and easy recruits by criminal-minded persons, a situation that accounts for the increasing cult-related activities experienced in the area.
The problem having been identified in a scientific study, Governor Fubara vowed to address the situation more decisively. Towards this goal, the Governor charged members of the Governing Councils, especially those of Rivers State University (RSU) to map out strategies to effectively combat the deficiency.
In a strategic policy shift, the Governor announced that his Government will make concerted efforts at establishing public secondary school infrastructure that would have those children who roam the streets, taken off, and brought into the classrooms of schools so that their minds would be moulded positively.
It should be noted, however, that in other parts of the state, education infrastructure have been improved for pupils and students to have the best experience of learning, and to become who they chose to become positively. It is clear from the Governor’s charge to members of the Governing Councils that the commitment of the administration in giving the best attention to the education sector in a holistic manner is unwavering. This is why the Governor charged the councils to ensure that standard and quality of learning are never compromised, so that the State can get the best from Government investments in the sector.
To the members of the governing councils, Governor Fubara had charged them to steer the affairs of the institutions in a manner that would propel authorities of the institutions to rethink their roles, the content of education that they offer while also changing some procedures and practices that they had embraced that do not support transparency and productive academic environment. Governor Fubara had mandated them to set general and specific directions for the institutions that will result into improving student learning outcomes.
It is important to note that they can only do so in collaboration with the managements of the various institutions and the staff within a well-developed cooperative working relationship. With the responses given by the chairmen of the governing councils during the inauguration, it is smart to conclude that members will meet the Governor’s expectations.
Take for example, the commitment made by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Rivers State University, Justice Mary Odili, JSC (rtd), in her response on behalf of seven other members, whose records of excellence in their various fields are sterling.
Justice Odili assured the Governor that they will work assiduously as a team to solve the problems that agitate the Government, and also ensure that their contributions form part of the legacies that will be bequeathed by his administration.
She said, “Your Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, the Governor of Rivers State, do not be disturbed. We will not disappoint you and the Government of Rivers State. We assure you of our irrevocable determination to turn the page, and ensure that by the time your tenure elapses, our footprints will be part of the shining legacies your administration will bequeath to Rivers people as a mark of appreciation for the trust and confidence they bestowed on you with their mandate.”
Indeed, with the quality of members of the RSU Governing Council, which include Barrister Mela Oforibika, Barrister Chukwuma Chinwo, Barrister Adata Bio-Briggs, Dr. Jonathan Nimi Hart, Mr Ngo Martins-Yellowe, Dr. Igoni William-Park, and Mr. Ogbugbu Barisua, it is clear that the Rivers State Government has implicit confidence in their ability to deliver on the onerous task before them. And that is understandable!
The same applies to Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, where in addition to committing to take appropriate steps to change the narrative on its academic records, the governing council also pledged to conduct a transparent and merit-based employment process that will remedy the sore face of the past.
Even as the issues facing council members are more daunting, the Pro-Chancellor of IAUE, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, exuding confidence in his response to the Governor’s charge, assured that members will work to ensure that the name of the university that speaks volume will be steered to become a citadel of excellence.
He also assured that his record of integrity, honesty and fairplay will come handy in the discharge of the responsibilities given to them by the Governor.
He added that that same record of impeccable character reflects in other members of the council, including Dr. Iboh Okidim, Prof. Jason Osai, Prof. Ijeoma Akpu, Dr. Akabue Ugochukwu, Mrs. Mmeme Gogo-Adiari, and Hon. Dominic Sata. And anyone who has worked with these distinguished Rivers brains can testify to their high moral compass and academic achievements.
The same sense of commitment and readiness to deliver is what cuts across the minds of members of the governing council of CEAPOLY, and they made it clear in their response at the inauguration.
Speaking on behalf of other members, Chairman of the council, Dr. Robinson N. Ewoh, said the school was originally for basic studies but later became a college. He added that by 2016, it was transformed into a polytechnic, and till date, the infrastructure has not changed. He, therefore, stressed that to achieve the needed technical education, facilities need to improve with significant investments by the Government.
“You go to infrastructure, the classrooms are still like those of School of Basic Studies: No library, laboratory, zero hostel. And because of zero hostel, the in-take is gradually coming down.
“The houses around there are very expensive. Parents can no longer afford to pay house rents to enable their kids go to that school. Finally, Your Excellency, even the council you have put together now, we don’t have an office, no council building.
“The last administration started something, and stopped half way. So, the Rector will still have to look for a temporary office for us. But I want to assure you that the team you have put together, well experienced team, will be able to deliver on the mandate you have given us.”
Those experienced council members, who have carved a niche for themselves in management and administration are Dr. Emmanuel O. Omah, Nwonuala Chinaka Charles, Evans Amadi, Dr. Nancy Nwankwo, Chief Dakorinama Evans Ibama, and Chief Bajor Osaro. These are people who works speak for them in their various fields of endeavour. Bring this experience to bear on the institution will definitely add value and transform technical education landscape of the State.
Indeed, education will remain a key driver of development and progress. Those lofty and attainable heights that signal actual advancement would be secured through well-coordinated administration of these institutions. And the governing councils will provide the elixir and driving force for achieving the Governor’s key policy objectives for the State’s tertiary institutions in such a way that it shapes Rivers development trajectory going forward.
(Chukwudi is the Chief Press Secretary to the Rivers State Governor)
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