By Samuel Ogude & Patricia Major
The Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa said, education is the spring board for the growth and development of any given society hence, all projects in the state higher institutions would not be abandoned even after leaving office as the incoming government would take over from where he stopped. Governor Okowa stated this, Saturday at the Convocation 2010/2011 to 2021/2022 academic sessions of College of Education, Warri, in Warri South Local Government Area of the state.
According him, they would do whatever they can do, as a government so that ,no higher institution’s projects are abandoned in the state saying, education is the bedrock of every society. According to him, government will never rest on its oars, though with the limit of the available resources, in providing the necessary funds and infrastructure that would make the college noticeable in the comity of higher institutions.
He said:” We would do whatever, we can do, as a government, to see that all projects would not be abandoned. This forms part of the recommendations for the Transition Committee which encompasses human capital development, education, health and ICT, that is chaired by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr. Kingsley Ashibuogwu that all uncompleted projects will be completed in our tertiary institutions”
Governor Okowa who was represented by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr. Kingsley Ashibuogwu said, the institution has made remarkable progress under his watch over last eight years in terms of human capital development. According to him, the College has contributed immensely to manpower training adding that, this assertion is further collaborated for the day with the award of the Nigeria Certificate in Education to individuals who successfully passed through the academic processes.
Governor Okowa said, there is no doubt, that tertiary institutions worldwide are capital intensive saying, this called for consorted efforts by all stakeholders towards fast tracking the development of the college in order to meet the growing demands and needs of the modern society.
He said:”It is important to state, there is a recurrent idea that runs through all of them. It is incontrovertible fact that, all the sectors competing for attention in government, in terms of funding, education has always taken a sensible chunk of the state’s finances”
Governor Okowa said, it is a fact that modern world 21st Century, education is the source from where other sectors derive their root saying, any good government which knows its onion, can not down play it(education).
According to him, while the government, as a major state holder, would do its best, there is need for the assistance of corporate organizations, well meaning Deltans, fellow country men and women in general to contribute their quota towards the development of tertiary institutions in the state.
Governor Okowa said, it has become imperative in the face of the lean resources coupled with other areas competing for state funds, the state government will continue to place high premium on the welfare of staff saying, this can be attested to by the absorption of the 99 staff and approval of sixty five years of retirement age for non- academic staff of the polytechnics and colleges of education in the state.
He said , the government has also carried out its responsibility of regular prompt payment of salaries, release of subventions and the completion of infrastructure within the limit of the available resources adding, for convocation to be meaningful, management of all government owned institutions should ensure that, certificates and transcripts of all graduating students of their institutions are ready for collection in the tertiary institutions.
While commending the efforts of the Chairman and the members of the Governing Council, the Provost and other Principals Officers of the college for doing well, he saluted other members of the public who, in one or the other, contributed to the growth and development of the school.
Governor Okowa said, Convocation is a time to put a seal on the efforts of students who fulfilled the necessary academic requirements of institution, and therefore used the medium to congratulate the graduands for their hard work and perseverance adding ,it is identifying hall mark of any citizen who prepared for the modern and fast changing society. He also thanked their parents who stood for their children throughout their studies financially and morally. He said, as the children are honored for the day, it is expected that, they would be good ambassadors of the college in particular and Delta State at large wherever they go.
Earlier his address, the Provost of College of Education, Warri, Dr. Dickson Oyovwi said convocation ceremony provides an opportunity for interface between an institution and the outside world just as he said, it is held as the culminating glory of years of rigorous academic study defined by diligence, discipline, transformation and maturity.
According to him, it is seen as the final rite of academic passage saying, by extension, the commencement of further educational quest or a journey into societal life with opportunities and challenges which the years of academic pursuit should have prepared the graduands to overcome. He said, the college has consistently kept faith with its mandate of producing quality graduates who will contribute to nation building and advance the course of humanity globally. He therefore congratulated the staff and students on the successes the school has recorded so far just as he said, despite theses success, all hands must be on deck to do more and achieve more good results in this regard.
According to him, a total of two thousand, four hundred and twenty eight graduands comprising 10 Distinctions, 522 Credits, 1534 Merits and 180 Passes are graduating for the day. The Provost congratulated the granduands for academic accomplishment and laurels just as he charged them to put the knowledge acquired to further enhance their lives.
He said:” While using this opportunity to congratulate you, our graduands on your academic accomplishment and laurels, I hereby encourage you to take further steps to strive for higher academic goals ..and bring to bear in making our dear state and nation Nigeria great”.
On the school’s achievements within the period of this administration, the College Management has taken steps to ensure that, there is comprehensive improvement in the learning environment saying, against this background, the school has embarked on massive renovation works in collaboration with the Delta State Government and NNDC on dilapidated structures to see that lecture halls are in proper shape and condition for effective teaching and learning.
Dr. Oyovwi said ,emphasis has been placed in updating the Information Technology Infrastructures to meet the yearning needs of the students saying, other critical partners like Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) uses the school ICT facilities for the conduct of their CBT examinations. According to him, other areas include: the school’s efforts to equip the library with current books, journals and other publications for effective teaching and learning to take place; improvement of staff as many of them have bagged their Doctorate Degrees, among others.
The Provost however said, despite these achievements, the school is still facing challenges which include the dwelling number of enrolment of NCE students, majority of the subjects, especially, Languages are neglected; the challenge of electricity to power ICT and other facilities; lack of adequate classrooms and chairs and desks among others. He said, if the above challenges are taken care of, the college has the manpower to deliver on its mandate saying, the quality of school personnel has made the programmes of the school to be accredited by the relevant regulating agencies including the approval to run affiliate Degree programmes by the federal and state universities. He therefore appealed to the Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to help so that, the incoming administrations can attend to the needs of the school.
He said:”I wish therefore, to sincerely appeal to His Excellency whose love for education is unprecedented to say a word and do the needful for the actualization of these projects that of strategic importance to the college”.
The Provost expressed gratitude to the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for approving his appointment and his assistance of the school in all ramifications, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr.Kingsley Ashibuogwu, the Chairman of Governing Council, staff of the college, parents, and students for their respective roles played for the smooth running of the school under his administration.