THE SHINNING LIGHT UPON THE SUDDEN DARKNESS OF RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE SHINNING LIGHT UPON THE SUDDEN DARKNESS OF RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
BY
DANIEL SEMENIWORIMA
Lately, the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), has been illuminated by a shining light upon what many would describe as a sudden darkness upon the State owned ivory tower famously known as the Premier University of Science and Technology in Nigeria, since 1980 when it was established.
This shinning light that many taught was too impulsive has brought about the repositioning of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology as one of the leaders in generating scientific and technological breakthroughs and preparing workers to meet the evolving demands for fully baked graduates in the Niger Delta and beyond.
Since a good education is much more than just the classroom-based learning of facts, or even the skill of critical thinking, this shinning light in the person Professor Barineme Beke Fakae who practically steers the wheel of the new administration in RSUST as the Vice Chancellor has shown tremendous commitment to instilling moral values and ethical behaviours in students by giving them a solid grounding in those areas that will help them do well.
No wonder as we speak the University is about to on Sartuday May 5 2012, for the record time, organize a back to back convocation of graduates of the institution only shortly after successfully conducting a convocation ceremony on Saturday October 15, 2012 combining a backlog of deserving graduands of the 2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007,2007/2008 and 2008/2010 academic sessions who hitherto had lost fate in wearing a convocation gown due to the initial darkness of maladministration the Rivers State University of Science and Technology was dragged into.
At present the Professor Barineme Fakae led-authorities of this University has shown its doggedness to leverage Information Communication and Technology (ICT) to transform knowledge into economic value. The University has an Information and Communications Technology Centre that is equipped to a world class standard. The Centre has the capacity to engage over 1,000 students that could be working on various key projects simultaneously. The Centre also has facility that possesses a web based programme that monitors students' registration process to check student's course registration and performance.
Thus in today RSUST, ICT is not just a subject in its own right but it has increasingly become important within the school curriculum as it supports teaching and learning within other curriculum subjects. It will interest you that it is with the Professor Fakae backed Information Communication Technology culture enshrined in the Ivory Tower that has made it to achieve this feet as the Leading ICT complaint University in Nigeria.
The vision of this illuminator who was only appointed on the 14th of November 2007 by the Visitor of the University and Rivers State Governor Chibuike Ameachi is to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in the use of ICT that enables students to use such technologies in their everyday and working lives.
Importantly too, lecturers have also been trained to enter raw scores and tests and semester examination results directly on internet based platforms. In sum, the software application now allows the University to compute and fill data about staff/students profiles, results and time-table/calendar, in addition to incorporating billing and payroll systems through which the University can monitor payment of school fees.
The students now register their courses on-line, access their results and hostel accommodation space on-line, thus reducing the stress that were part of the traditional registration and school fees payment in the past.
The University's ICT Centre has over 450 computer units with a standby 100KVA alternative power supply. The University has since the last academic session introduced and is currently operating e-exams in the conduct of aptitude tests for candidates seeking admission into the University after the normal University Matriculation Examination. This has been applauded by the Public, Jamb, and the National universities Commission, which are major stakeholders in the Education Sector in the country.
Facilities in the school, particularly in the Laboratories and Workshops are first class and could be compared with any in any standard institution.
The University has since its establishment in 1980, graduated more than 30 thousand people who now occupy prominent positions in society. It is the only University in Nigeria that offers first degree courses in Marine Engineering; and Secretarial Administration. The University has an e-library that can be assessed anywhere in the world. It is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
Prior to the appointment of the incumbent Vice-Chancellor, Professor Barineme Beke Fakae on 14th November, 2007, the University had deteriorated infrastructurally and academically. But through the financial support given to the University by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, Professor Fakae, the incumbent Vice Chancellor has been able to build up the University to its present world-class standard within his first term in office as the Vice Chancellor of RSUST.
After taking a careful assessment of the developmental needs of the institution Professor Fakae embarked on a plethora of laudable projects which have impacted positively on the University. Some the projects worthy of mention include;
· Renovation and equipment of all classrooms, workshops, offices, laboratories and libraries.
· The construction of a new Science Demonstration Laboratory for the Faculty of Technical and Science Education.
· Construction of a workshop for the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Centre, newly established in the University.
· Completion of a modern library building for the Faculty of Agriculture.
· The construction of a Vice-Chancellor's lodge which did not exist prior to this time. The Vice-Chancellor's office is also renovated, well furnished, and equipped with modern facilities.
· The development of an ICT Centre with over 450 computers which ranks among the best in the country. The success recorded in this area is overwhelming and admirable. This has turned the University to its premier status as the first Technological University in Nigeria.
By the programme accreditation exercise carried out by the National Universities Commission recently, the University has full accreditation for almost all its academic programmes.
Rivers State University of Science and Technology is now chosen by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure as one of the tertiary institutions in the Niger Delta as a Centre for the development of Advanced Manufacturing Technology in the region.
Today the University is a manifestation of Excellence and Creativity and an epitome of a Rebranded 21st century world class Ivory tower situated in the Heart of the Garden city of Nigeria, Port Harcourt.
To crown the foresight of the now glowing light on the University as ignited by Professor Barineme Fakae, the Rivers State government has already commenced and with the new City would be established a new campus where the present Rivers State University of Science and Technology would be relocated to a new City called Greater Port Harcourt City to decongest the already over crowded Port Harcourt. According to government's mission statement on this, "The new University will be a leading Centre of academic excellence in Africa and beyond; a world class University with world-class facilities, which will be manned by a team of committed administrators, academics and researcher of high caliber, who share the founding vision of the new University to be ranked among the best 1,000 Universities in the world by 2020.
It is hoped that by the time this objective is realized, there is no doubt that RSUST will be equal to none in Nigeria and indeed for ever brighten the shinning light upon the sudden darkness that once befell the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.
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