Incessant strikes harmful to education system – ABSU VC

Incessant strikes in the education sector in Nigeria have been described as counter-productive and harmful to the country’s education system. The Vice Chancellor, Abia State University Uturu (ABSU), Professor Eliezar Uche Ikonne stated this while briefing newsmen on the activities lined up for the school’s 2019 convocation, adding “If we can avoid strikes in the public system, we would have made a great gain. Ikonne therefore urged the Federal Government to be alive to its responsibility in the sector “to sustain constant education” in the country. The VC recalled that for the past three years, ABSU has run successful uninterrupted education calendar, stating that this has accounted for quality education in the school and higher allocation of JAMB admission quota for the school. He disclosed that the story of the university has changed positively, pointing that out a lot of positive developments in the school, including meeting up with its core responsibility. According to him, the school now operate functional online registration, has reduced school fees with N112, 000.00 as the highest, release of results now are within weeks, while the school has achieved its 43rd inaugural lectures, , as well as a functional e-library that rank amongst the best in the country. Others include adequate school welfare, acquisition of functional engineering department with the assistance of TETFUND, functional micro-biology laboratory, full accreditation of medical department by National University Commission and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, continued improvement in collaboration with international institutions and national agencies and maintaining its stand on extortion from students in the form of handouts. He used the opportunity to disclose that the university is in partnership with a bread factory in Umuahia to produce ABSU bread and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) over the production of cashew oil. He intimated that of the fifty research topics picked up by the federal government among over 2000 submitted, ABSU has one of the topics, adding that the university has keyed into the state Education-For-Employment programme, E4E as the school has made entrepreneurial studies compulsory for every student. In all, Ikonne said, no money was borrowed to run the school, adding that he did not inherit any debt from his predecessor and will not transfer one to his successor. He described the occasion as the most glorious moment of the university as the Visitor to the school and state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has applied to the school for lecturing at the Clinical Bio-Chemistry department of the school on part time basis. On the forthcoming convocation, the VC said about 4153 of various degrees will be convocated, adding that the university will install a new Chancellor in the person of His Royal Majesty, Begha U Tiv, Orcivirigh Prof. James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, Tor Tiv V, while honorary degrees will be awarded to the paramount traditional ruler of Ngwaland, Eze Bernard Enweremadu and former Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika. Other activities include pre-convocation lecture, book exhibition, cultural carnival by different students’ town unions as well as a novelty football match against ABSU staff women association. Sunday Nwakanma, Umuahia