From Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki
The Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), Ebonyi State is to partner the University of Kent in the United Kingdom in research development, teaching, and learning.
This was disclosed by the Director, Centre for Internationalization, Linkages, Advancement and Global Ranking, Dr. Afam Icha-Ituma who led a delegation from the university to the University of Kent on collaborative visit.
In a statement signed by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Iyke Elom, the partnership is meant to improve teaching and learning in FUNAI as well as promote crossbreeding of ideas.
He quoted Dr Icha-Ituma as saying that FUNAI is committed to working with top universities abroad with similar ambitions, values and aspirations. He said that the FUNAI team was delighted to be at the University of Kent to discuss collaboration with the university.
“Our vision of collaboration is a two-way process providing mutual support to enhance opportunities for staff and students to collaborate with our partner university in research, teaching and learning,” he stated.
He further stated that the University of Kent is one of the United Kingdom’s leading academic institutions and one of the few Higher Education Institutions to be recognized as offering gold standard teaching, learning and student outcomes in the UK Teaching Excellence Framework Assessment, published in June 2017.
“FUNAI is going to take advantage of these numerous competencies to advance its frontiers of teaching, learning and research in order to turn-out globally competitive graduates” he vowed.
Through the international partnership, FUNAI is seeking to create opportunity for its staff and students to collaborate on research projects with world class scholars at the University of Kent, enhance teaching and learning, create opportunity for staff and student exchange programmes, enhance the employability of its students and the global ranking of the University.
Icha-Ituma hopes that the close relationship will particularly give FUNAI curriculum an international perspective and also enhance the staff and students’ cultural understanding through working alongside staff and students from the University of Kent in the future.
The exploratory visit culminated in the Unit for Enhancement of Learning and Teaching (UELT) at the University of Kent assenting to support FUNAI in setting up a world class teaching and learning centre to enable its members of staff improve their teaching and enhance students’ learning experience.
The Director of the Unit, Dr. Louise Naylor, according to Icha-Ituma, reiterated the commitment of the University of Kent towards collaborating with like-mind universities. He pointed out that FUNAI has shown a lot of seriousness in trying to turn around its teaching, learning and research processes to make it relevant and productive.
Underlining the importance of the collaboration to the FUNAI’s Faculty of Education in particular, its Dean, Dr. Chinyere Nwajiuba, expressed delight in the development. She added that it would also improve the global visibility of the university’s academic activities.
“The faculty is looking forward to working very closely with the University of Kent to set up a Centre for Enhancing Teaching for Students Learning Experiences [CETSLE] within the Faculty of Education to serve the academic staff of the faculty and the university.
This partnership, according to the PRO, Iyke Ubochi, was yet another milestone in the history of the university as the Vice Chancellor; Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba strives to make it academically resilient and globally competitive and its graduates enterprising in an ever-changing world of knowledge.
Inability to pay school fees: How Rotary Club saved students in Kaduna
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna.
They are very brilliant students, but with poor family background which was gradually hindering them to continue with their secondary school education, until Rotary Club came to their aids recently.
They are mostly science students in SS1 from Rimi College and GSS, Kawo, all in the Kaduna metropolis.
Speaking to The Education Report, President, Rotary Club of Kawo District, Kaduna, Mrs. Juliet Azubike, said 10 brilliant but indigent students were selected, five each from the two schools and their school fees were paid for three terms.
Mrs. Azubike added that the Rotary Club will assist the students to their final year in the schools if they exhibit seriousness in their studies.
The benefitting students include Ahmed Muhammad, Zakari Abdullahi, Sunday Gabriel, Abdulrahman Abubakar, and Abdulrahaman Isyaku.
Others are Habibu Shittu, Mukhtar Ibrahim, Habiba Idris, Sadiya Ibrahim Yero, and Zainab Dalhatu.
She said Rotary would have done for more students than this, but for financial constraint which she said posed a major challenges to the club.
According to the Rotary Club President, “As part of our programme to assist intelligent, but indigent students, particularly in public secondary schools, we paid for each student N2,600 for the first, second and third terms.
“They are intelligent but indigent SSI students. We intend to continue with them to SS3 if the students are serious with their studies.
“We first met with the principals of the respective schools and told them to select for us intelligent, but indigent students that are not able to pay school fees.
“They were not just selected, examinations were set for many of them, and those that passed are assisted. This was what we did at Rimi College.
“We did the same at GSS Kawo, we also donated exercise books to them. We want to see these students through their secondary school education.
“It is a 3-year programme that we are handling. But I am just six months old as the President, Rotary club of Kawo, Kaduna.
“However, finance has been one of our major challenges. We want to do more than this to many students but the meagre financial resources at our disposal won’t allow it. But we thank God that the little we are doing is being appreciated.
Some of these intelligent, but indigent students may become president, governors, ministers and professionals tomorrow.
“We believe that with this thing we have done, the students will always remember to give back to the society when they become leaders in future. Rotary club renders selfless services; we give to those we don’t know.