By Felix Ikpotor
The management of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST, has rejected in totality insinuations that the name of the school should be changed in line with the recent directive by the National Universities Commission, NUC.
NUC recently had directed schools to focus on the areas of their core mandate or risks some of its courses being disaccredited.
Vice-Chancellor of the school, Prof. Blessing Didia made the position of the school known Wednesday at a public hearing on the Rivers State University of Science and Technology Repeal Bill, 2017 organised by the Rivers State House of Assembly, RVHA.
He contended that the change of name will do the school a great harm than good including lost of identity.
“We should not be in a haste to change name as it has so much negative effects including lost of identity, the name of a school does not matter but the end product.
The VC suggested that the laws should be strengthened to widen the scope of the school and protect it against any unforseen action by the NUC, stressing that the school at the moment the NUC has not clearly communicated their position to the school.
Earlier, the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Doctor Farah Dagogo said the bill is aimed at repealing the RSUST Law of 1980 as most of its provisions are no longer in tandem with recent trends and NUC directives.
He said the new law intends to settle the issue of tenureship of the VC and retirement ages of professors and other academic staffers.
The lawmaker who represents Degema Constituency in the House had suggested a change of name to avoid NUC’s hammer as he informed participants that the university governing body had already instructed students applying for the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB examinations to look elsewhere.
Farah’s position was corroborated by the Attorney- General of the state, Emmanuel Aguma in his presentation.
Represented by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Florence Fiberesima, admitted that the government did not take cognizance of NUC’s directive while drafting the executive bill and supported the idea of change of name to avoid any action against the school from the federal agency.
The speaker of the assembly, Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani was represented by the Majority Leader, Martin Amaewhule.
Some of the provisions in the new bill requires that the VC will serve a single term of five years, professors to retire at age 70 and other academic staff at 65 amongst others.
