Philip Nwosu
It was a gathering of educationists within the naval circles last week, as all the former Directors of Naval Education converged on the NIGERIAN NAVAL SHIP (NNS) QUORRA to seek a new path for the naval education system.
The gathering also brought to the Apapa base of the NNS QUORRA, several civilians and military staff of the Nigerian Navy Secondary Schools to deliberate on the effective school management and supervision for quality education service delivery, which was the theme of the one day seminar for administrators of Nigerian Navy Welfare Schools.
The objectives of the seminar Daily Sun learnt was to sensitise Nigerian Navy (NN) welfare school administrators on current trends in school management, develop strategies that will enhance the performance of school administrators, identify challenges posed by some modern trends in school management and possible solution and provide sustainable guidelines for better management of NN welfare school.
Other objectives the seminar was set to achieve include, discuss the role of NN welfare school administrators for quality education service delivery and highlight the concept of supervision in the administration of Nigerian Navy welfare schools.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas charge the Director of the Naval Education Directorate (DNED) Commodore Isa Ahmed and all the school’s heads to develop the appropriate forum to enlighten officers and men, including other stakeholders in the various schools on the need to uphold the tenets of good conduct and effective administration in navy schools.
Admiral Ibas spoke at the close of the one day seminar explaining that there is need for attitudinal change among stakeholders in naval schools as this is a critical requirement for accomplishment of developmental objectives.
He called for institutionalisation of a sustained re-orientation programme in all naval schools and establishments, urging all officers and men at the directorate to identify their responsibilities and remain committed to the implementation process.
Earlier Admiral Ibas who was represented by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) Rear Admiral Stanford Enoch promised to continue to equip naval welfare schools with adequate infrastructure in other to ensure proper atmosphere for learning by children and wards of naval personnel.
He noted that no effort would be spared at providing a more conducive training environment for the students and staff of Navy Secondary Schools around the country, emphasizing that training and infrastructural development remains a means of meeting emerging challenges in any organization.
Admiral Ibas said that the Nigerian Navy welfare schools require sound and effective school management system with constant focus to conform to the changing trend in the country’s educational system.
The necessity of the workshop is, therefore, premised on the fact that school administrators need to be equipped with up-to-date managerial and supervisory skills to enhance school operations.” “It is my expectation that the seminar would be an appropriate forum to exchange ideas and proffer views that would assist in realising the thrust of my strategic directive regarding training.” On the facelift, which the welfare school had undergone, he said: “You must have noticed some drastic infrastructural improvement in our welfare schools.
Director of Naval Education Commodore Isa Ahmed said that In the schools system, a good administrator is endowed with dual responsibilities which include administrative and teaching responsibilities.
He said that the success of a school therefore is dependent on the ability of an administrator to judiciously espouse these responsibilities, adding that the ability of a school administrator to painstakingly utilize available resources and apply quality managerial skills is paramount to the growth and success of a school.
He said that the selection of the seminar theme was aimed at enhancing the capacity of Nigerian Navy welfare school’s administrators to function optimally, noting that “school administrators have an important role in their community. Their professional conducts and ethics must create positive relationship, conducive environment, high expectations as well as confidence in students to enable their progressive development.
“The purpose of the seminar therefore is to provide a dedicated platform for harnessing informed opinions from invited, seasoned senior officers (serving and retired) and relevant stakeholders in education.”