Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has rewarded James E. Daniel, a disabled student, with N50 million and an automatic lectureship position at Rivers State University after earning a doctorate degree.
The governor, on the other hand, has warned all Rivers State-owned universities to stop conferring PhD degrees on whomever they see fit, including doubtful candidates and persons with a lot of money.
On Saturday, Governor Wike announced Dr. Daniel’s N50 million award and automatic lectureship appointment at the Rivers State University in Port Harcourt’s 33rd convocation.
The governor stated that the award was given to Dr. Daniel in honor of his academic achievements and his role as an example to people with disabilities.
In his remarks, the Rivers State governor instructed the Governing Council and managements of state universities to sanitize their internal academic systems by eliminating any unsuitable policy, practice, or method that jeopardizes the high academic standards expected of tertiary institutions.
Governor Wike stated that Rivers State University has been at the forefront of providing higher education and training to the people of the state since its foundation.
He noted that, like the mustard seed, the university has developed from humble origins to become one of the country’s largest and most prestigious state-owned institutions.
The governor emphasized that serious universities are protective of their reputations and only award doctoral degrees to students who have undergone years of rigorous intellectual research and interrogation and whose dissertation has been independently adjudged to be sound and contribute to new learning.
He, on the other hand, criticized the current trend and practice at colleges, particularly Rivers State University, of awarding doctoral degrees to all manner of doubtful candidates indiscriminately, similar to chieftaincy titles.
“This practice must stop in all Rivers State Government-owned tertiary institutions as we demand greater character, commitment and responsibility from staff and management to the vision and fundamental objectives of university education,” he said.
He added;
“First of all, the programmes that you offer must equip the students with relevant skills, entrepreneurial or otherwise so that on graduation they can start their own businesses and professional practice and become creators of jobs from the beginning; and not jobless seekers of elusive jobs.”
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