We will exploit ICT to improve education in Rivers – Wike assures

Governor Nyesom Wike has announced plans by his administration to overhaul the educational system in Rivers State through effective Information and Communication Technology (ICT) development.

He made the plans public, Tuesday, while declaring open the 30th Conference of Association of Vice Chancellors of (Nigerian Universities (AVCNU) held at the State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt.

The Rivers State governor acknowledged that ICT is one way to guarantee efficiency and transparency in the nation’s educational system, noting that:“the need for ICT cannot be overemphasized as it enhances internal revenue generation”.

Wike. therefore,challenged universities to exploit the potentials in ICT in order to check administrative hitches-stressing information communication technology remains germane if most of the universities are going to survive in the present world.

Calling on the association to ensure sustainable development in the nations university systems, Governor Wike charged them to ensure that the outcome of the conference is implemented, pointing out that the theme of the conference: ’The Role of ICT in University Administration and Curriculum Delivery’ is apt.

The governor also lauded the authorities of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology for using

ICT to transform the university, challenged other institutions to follow suit as part of the peer review mechanism.

In his opening remarks, the chairman of AVCNU and Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Joseph Ajienka thanked the governor for attending the conference and urged him to support the body achieve its set objective.

Prof. Ajienka, however, lamented the numerous challenges Vice-chancellors are faced with ranging from funding to poor condition of service, but expressed hope that the governor will use his experience as former Minister of Education to address the problems of the nation’s universities.

On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Prof. Barrineme Fakae while thanking the governor for gracing the occasion, said the university’s transformation was achieved through a robust ICT programme.

Prof. Fakae noted that with effective ICT policy the university has been able to digitalize its records-fee system, and academic programmes, hence the recent status as the 12th best university in the country from the 76th position.

The four day ACVCNU meeting was attended by over 60 Vice Chancellors across the country expected to chart the course for the nation’s university ICT policies in the upcoming years.