Akwapoly holds 6th convocation Saturday ...Rector warns against cultism activities

BY ABASIFREKE OBOT

In tandem with Governor Udom Emmanuel’s zero tolerance for cultism in the State, the Rector of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic (AKWAPOLY), Ikot Osurua, Dr. Moses Charles Umobong, has warned cultists against encroaching the venue of the upcoming Akwapoly Convocation ceremony billed for May 11th or making advances to perpertrate violence. 

This warning came while the Acting Rector, at a press briefing in Uyo, field questions from newsmen on security measures put in place to avert violence at the convocation, of which the recent cult induced violence in the University of Uyo was a case in point.

Dr. Umobong stated in strong terms that the citadel of learning does not condone cultism. In his words, “We don’t tolerate it here.”

THE INK captured that the school has attempted, faring successfully to bring the issue of cultism to the barest minimum and won’t fall short of expectations on Saturday.

Latest Edition of THE INK NEWSPAPER, UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

Latest Edition of THE INK NEWSPAPER, UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE, NIGERIA

AKSG takes over community schools in Eastern Obolo

AKSG takes over community schools in Eastern Obolo

BY ABASIFREKE OBOT

In continuous commitment of the Akwa Ibom State Government  to improve the quality and affordability of  education in the State, the Governor, Deacon Udom Emmanuel has announced plans by the State Government to takeover some community schools in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area.

Gov. Udom made the announcement on Thursday at St. Silas Primary School, Okoroete, Eastern Obolo Local Government Area, when his campaign team visited the area.

“I have been made to understand that there is a lot of community schools in Eastern Obolo.In order to enjoy the free and qualitative education, we will look for community schools with good attendance so that we could take over as Government, where we will provide free education and also pay WAEC fees for the students of Eastern Obolo, “ he said. 

The Governor, who thanked the heaving audience for their huge turnout, addressed with ardent concern the health sector of the area when he lamented over the stress faced by the women living across the riverine community during delivery, promising government’s intervention in order to reduce mortality rate menace to the barest minimum.

Book on Nigerian Civil War for launch in Uyo

Book on Nigerian Civil War for launch in Uyo

A book titled, Biafra War Re visited, authored by a retired General of the Nigerian Army, Okon Okon is billed for public presentation today (Tuesday) in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The event, which is expected to be attended by the military and the political classes as well as the academic and the general public, will be chaired by General Anthony Etukudoh, who had once served as Director General of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SON.

According to a statement endorsed by Mr Udeme Uyoata, who oversees publicity for the event, the author, who is also a scholar of International Politics and Strategic Studies, “attempts to argue on the logic of war since the dawn of history, surmising it as a recurrent occurrence in the conduct of disputes between geo-political entities”.

Akwapoly Management parleys host communities

Akwapoly Management parleys host communities

The Acting Rector, AkwaIbom State Polytechnic, Dr. Moses Umobong has commended the role played by the leadership of the Polytechnic host communities for the prevailing peace enjoyed in the State  polytechnic in recent times, describing it as a sign of good relationship existing among them.

The commendation was made during a visit to the visit village Councils of IkotOsurua and AtanIkotOkoro in IkotEkpene and EssienUdim respectively by the management of the State Polytechnic as part of the institution’s Corporate Social Responsibilities.

Addressing the village council members, the Ag. Rector, Dr. Moses Umobong applauded the people of the Polytechnic host communities for the love and support shown to the State Polytechnic and the administration of His Excellency, Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel. Dr. Umobong stressed the need for sustenance of the prevailing peace in the area in the interest of the students leaving in their respective neighborhoods. 

Education

The need for education is on the increase and the burden to provide quality education is getting heavier for the government to bear thereby, leaving room for private and institutional investors. The following are ways you can tap into the potential opportunity.

· Help parents source for schools locally and abroad
· Educational tours for students in schools, colleges and universities
· Start  a school: Daycare, Nursery, Primary and Secondary. Your school should be based on the culture of hardwork, excellence, sound morals, spiritual and social values, the management of the school should ensure that only the most, suitable and qualified teaching and non-teaching staff are well equipped for global demand in the education sector are employed.

The good thing about school is that, the child that will be born next year will still go to school whether or not there is hope for employment; what is sure is that he/she will go to school.
A lot of institutional and private investors have gone into building quality schools and providing quality education but the potential has not been reached. With a population over 150 million Nigerians, where 65% are below 40%; there’s still untapped potential in this niche. Crèche, daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary education.

The name could be Jepinak International Schools. Have a school logo, motto, mission and vision statements clearly defined and written down. Your goals of setting up a school should include building academic competence, Christian character and self confidence. Your core values and guiding principles should include: faith in God, love, excellence, diligence, academic excellence, self ,confidence integrity etc.
To own a school, besides having the qualifications, you must have a business plan or better called feasibility study, of what you plan to implement. This will guide each stage of the implement schedule. The absent of it, the vision may be derailed.

How to start
Buy a land at a conducive environment and build one block with five classrooms and offices apartment. You can rent a space. Look for qualified teachers and schedule for screening interview. For interview, call university lecturers to help you interview them. Advertize the school on various media platforms. Register with government through the State Ministry of Education. Get student desks, chairs, boards, school bus and other facilities.
Some of your facilities should include:
-    Science laboratories
-    Computer/ICT facilities
-    Library
-    Electric supply
-    Hostels
-    Food
-    Clinic
-    Sports
To be continued in our next edition.
Akanimo Inim is an Author, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, director of Jepinak Group of Companies and Founder/Int’l President of Power Household Destiny Int’l (PHDI).

It is a one stop Institution for educational development - Principal

Who is the principal of all weather group of schools?

My humble self-Deaconess Esther Essien, I am from Eket the school is a second generation school owned by our late mother Chief Mrs. Edna U Essien, we the children are now up on our feet to take up that responsibility and the vision the leader had and we have vowed never to allow the initiative, (All Weather). The three children Chief Uduak Essien, Stella Essien and Esther Essien, we have all come together to take up that responsibility, the school is more than what you have seen, we have a branch of this school in Onna, here is the main campus, we have the Nursery, Primary and Secondary sections.

What is the driving force behind your acceptance of piloting the affairs of this school?
The driving force that urged me to take up the responsibility of piloting the affairs of this school is my awareness, my understanding of what leadership at an Educational institution means. I am never a novice in this noble profession, I am a professional teacher, and I read Education at the NCE level before proceeding for a higher degree. I want to believe that the late founder of All Weather International Schools Chief Edna Essien knew that we will key into her vision and thereby encouraging us to step into that field as well because without that, we wouldn’t have been able to sustain this legacy upon her demise. I believe to be a teacher is a calling because you could be forced into reading a particular course and you find it difficult to flow but when once you are called into that ministry you flow easily, so I enjoy doing this job even more than what my mother was doing.

Tell us about the time you have spent as the principal of the school, how has it been, the challenges and the lessons?
It’s been ups and downs both from the children side, the parents and the teachers’ side and even the side of the government. It’s been all ups and downs but by the grace of God we have been able to scale through the challenges. Like when we were about starting the secondary school section some years back I was heavy with my first child when I came in and we had about 25 students but to the glory of God because of the performances of the children we are close to five hundred in the space of six years in the secondary section.

Your school is one of the first private schools in Eket and some of the schools that came in with you are no more now, what is the secret of the success of All Weather Schools?

Udom Ekpoudom treats TIS students to a valentine party * New prefects inducted

Last Friday was a remarkable date for students of the Tower of Ivory Schools located at Ediene Abak in Abak Local Government Area following the Valentine party they were hosted to by the management of the School led by the Chairman of the board of Governors DIG Prince Udom Ekpoudom rtd.

The event featured dance by the school students, Choreography, drama, poem recitation and a lots of other varieties. The Director of Schools Mrs. Ekpoudom took the students and guests down memory lane telling the audience the history of St. Valentine. Mrs. Ekpoudom spoke on the need for the school children to always live in peace with one another and also be their brothers keepers noting that in doing so, they are showing love to one another.

Ekpoudoum a school teacher of no mean repute reminded the students and guests that since God is Love, then his followers must always exhibit the characteristics of love at all times. She commended the students for always living a godly life and prayed God to bless them even as they remember St. Valentine.

Phone thieves caught in UNIUYO campus BY GLORY ODOEMELAM

Two men were caught in the early hours of the  Friday 14th February, stealing phones and gadgets from the female hostels of the University of Uyo town campus.

According to an eye witness, the men were caught by the school authorities as they attempted to jump over the school gate with their loot.

Another eye witness disclosed that several female students ran out of their hostels to have a glimpse of  the “window men” when they head that they had been caught but the school authorities took the men away from the angry students for fear that they might be  lynched by the already furious students.
This incident which is the second to occur in the school campus is yet to receive the necessary reaction from the school authorities to forestall a future occurrence.

Youth leader renovates Primary School BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

The youth president of Itiam Etoi community in Uyo Local Government Area, Ambassador Ukai Udeme Emmanuel has completed the renovation of dilapidated classroom blocks of the Methodist Primary School, Itiam Etoi.

Ambassador Ukai Emmanuel disclosed this last Wednesday during a media chat with selected journalists in Uyo. He said that his determination to renovate the primary school was to complement the State Government’s free, compulsory and qualitative education policy as well as make the school more comfortable for the children of his community.

Late Prof Abasiatai set for burial BY AKANIMO KINGSLEY

All is set for the final transition of one of the most respected Don in the University of Uyo, late Prof. Monday Benson Abasiatai who passed away on Monday 9th of December, 2013 after a brief illness. The late Onna born Professor of History held a Bachelors degree in Arts (London), a PhD from the University of Ibadan and Graduate Certificate in Applied Economics from Washington DC, USA. As a scholar par excellence, Prof. Abasiatai served as the National President, Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN), Former Head, Department of History/International Studies, Former Dean of Arts and Former Director, Center for Cultural Studies, all in the University of Uyo.

N.M.C. end 5 day training for maths teachers in Uyo BY GODWIN SAM

The National Mathematical Centre (NMC) on Friday 24th January, 2014, rounded off the 5-day training workshop for mathematics teachers at La-Mems Hotel, 40 Nkemba Street in Uyo. The event organized by the NMC in collaboration with Exxon Mobil for selected mathematics teachers from public secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State began on Monday 20th January, 2014 and had fifty (50) teachers in attendance.

Performing the closing ceremony, the State Commissioner for Education, Prof. (Mrs.) Atim Antai, on behalf of the Government of Akwa Ibom State commended Exxon Mobil and the National Mathematical Centre in Abuja for partnering to institute the workshop to assist and mobilize teachers towards improved academic performance especially in the area of mathematics which she said is the key to the study of all sciences.