Delta committed to improve higher education standard

DELTA State Commissioner for Higher Education, Mr. Austine Ayemidejor has said that government would encourage every effort aimed at improving the standard of higher education in the state.

Mr. Ayemidejor made the declaration during a familiarization visit to some higher institutions under the administrative purview of his ministry in Asaba.

Speaking at the new library complex, Asaba, he said that there was the need to establish and develop a functional, computerized library in the state to boost learning and to enhance smooth delivery of dividends of democracy in the area of education to Deltans, adding that the existing infrastructures in the state libraries would be upgraded to meet with modern trends in library services. Mr.

Ayemidejor who was elated at the new library complex in Asaba, expressed appreciation to the Governor, Chief James Onanefe Ibori, for making funds available for the acquisition of the structure.

He said that necessary measures would soon be taken to furnish the complex to enhance optimal performance of staff of the board, even as he urged them to appreciate government efforts by working hard to facilitate government drive towards making life meaningful to Deltans.

Earlier in an address, the Director of Library Services, Mr. Patrick Okuna, who stated the functions, achievements and constraints of the library board, expressed appreciation to government for making funds available to the board, even as he passionately called on government to make some vans available to the board to enhance movement of books to the 22 libraries across the state.

In another development, Mr. Ayemidejor called on the management of the Institute of Continuing Education to enlighten the public appropriately on the objectives of the institutions, particularly concerning the range of courses and training facilities available in the institution, saying that most people were not aware that the institution could award higher degrees in such courses as Business Administration, Accountancy and so on.

He called for smooth relationship between higher institutions in the state and the ministry, saying that necessary information and data should flow unhindered from the institutions to the ministry to enhance better planning that would in turn improve the standard of higher education in the state, adding that in as much as government was poised at all times to motivate staff, it would not tolerate indolence , warning against the possibility of overstaffing any of the institutions.

The commissioner, who also visited the Women Education Centre and Agency for Adult and Non-Formal Education Centre, was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Barrister Andrew Elueche, senior directors, his Special Assistant (SA), Mr. Matthew Idogho amongst others.

Why govt split Ministry of Education - Ayemidejor

THE Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Mr. Austine Ayemidejor, has said that government, decision to split the Ministry of Education was to tackle some problems militating against the smooth planning and implementation of education policies in the state, particularly at the higher institutions.

Mr. Ayemidejor made the disclosure during his maiden visit to the College of Education at Agbor and Warri. Speaking at the College of Education, Agbor, he said that with the creation of a separate Ministry of Higher Education in the state, it had become necessary for the institutions under the ministry to furnish it with adequate information and data on their structure, achievements and constraints to facilitate proper policy formulation and implementation on higher education by government, saying that plans were on to ameliorate the problems of lack of adequate lecture halls, vehicles and some learning facilities confronting higher institutions in the state.

Mr. Ayemidejor, who expressed happiness at the level of the infrastructural development of the institution, commended the Education Tax Fund (ETF) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for their positive intervention roles on the one hand, and the management of the institution for its prudent use of available funds to develop the institution on the other hand, adding that necessary actions would be taken to formalize the affiliation of the college with the Delta State University (DELSU), to enable it award degrees in education courses.

Mr. Ayemidejor strongly advised all those still interested in perpetrating cultism and other vices which are inimical to the development of education in the state to desist from doing so, stressing that the war against examination malpractice and indiscipline among students should be taken determinedly to higher institutions in the state.

Earlier, the Provost of the College of Education, Agbor, Dr. Emmanuel Tibi, said that apart from grants from government and the intervention roles of the NDDC and ETF, the college had embarked on an aggressive internal revenue generation drive to finance some capital projects at the college, adding that not only had the management of the institution financed the construction of a 500-metre stretch of tarred road at the premises of the college, but it had embarked on commercial farming to boost its financial base.

He called on government to render further assistance to the college by providing functional library, adequate water supply, operational vehicles and enough office and classroom accommodation for staff and students of the institutions.

Also responding at Warri to an address by the Provost of the College of Education, Warri, Prof. A.I Joe, Mr. Ayemidejor said that action would be expedite to facilitate early completion of some capital projects in the college through the involvement of not only the state Government, but the intervention of the NDDC and ETF, adding that there was the need to review upwards, the grants to the college for capital projects owing to its peculiar terrain.

Mr. Ayemidejor, who had earlier visited the French Centre at Asaba same day, was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Barrister Andrew Elueche, Senior Directors and the Special Assistant to the Commissioner (SA), Mr. Matthew Idoghor, amongst others.