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2013/2014 Class Matriculates
Address by the Provost, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Dr. (Mrs.) B. C. Ijioma on the occasion of the 36th Matriculation ceremony of the College, 4th September, 2014
PROTOCOL
It is with great pleasure and happiness that I welcome you all to this matriculation ceremony. For our esteemed celebrants, the class of 2013/2014, I welcome you specially to this ceremony where we formally receive you as students of this prestigious and golden college.
Alvan Ikoku has a gilded history but especially in the last few years this College has shone brighter and brighter. With Federal Government assistance we have been able to return this College to the glorious days of the 60’s and 70’s, when Alvan Ikoku became first among equals in Colleges of Education across the nation.
My dear Matriculants, you will see that our classrooms and laboratories are well appointed with the necessary tools and equipment to aid teaching and learning. Our lecturers are some of the best in their areas of study. That notwithstanding we encourage them to keep updating themselves and today we have over 200 lecturers studying for Ph.Ds across the nation and overseas.
The hostels and living areas continually receive upgrading. However, we urge our students to make sure that they keep their environments clean. With the outbreak of Ebola Virus disease, this is now a clarion call. Washing of hands with soap and water is the first line of defence against infectious diseases. The Medical Centre is operational twenty-four hours a day and students are encouraged to oblige themselves of its services. But most importantly keep in mind that cleanliness is next to Godliness.
Alongside the need to be health conscious is that of security vigilance. We have upped surveillance activities around the College. CCTV cameras are in various offices and locations around campus. Bomb and metal detectors are in use and security personnel have been empowered to conduct searches of vehicles and monitor suspicious activities. As students, you are your own first security officer. Be vigilant, avoid late night movements, and report all suspicious items and persons to the student security officials or the chief security officer and his men.
Recently we have introduced courses like Technical education and entrepreneurship studies to help our students develop their technical and business skills. Soon the ICT building will be ready for use. The centre will house over 600 computer workstations for the exclusive use by our students. This is because we understand that the world is changing and people need more than a certificate to survive. Knowledge and education is expanding at an amazing rate. Survival is dependent on how flexible you are, how vast your knowledge base is and the practical demonstration of your skills. So, as much as you possibly can, develop your all-round skills, in effect become digital, and above all learn to draw inspiration from God.
Before I end this speech let me sound a note of warning: The College seriously frowns at cheating and malpractices, and deals decisively with all offenders. The consequence of exam malpractice is expulsion. You have been warned.
Also this administration does not tolerate exploitation and intimidation of students. We have active SERVICOM and Anti-Corruption units that checkmate acts of lawlessness and exploitation. Any student with a genuine complaint should not hesitate to report such to the SERVICOM and ICPC units.
I wish to inform you that all fees should be paid into designated bank accounts. Fees must never be paid in cash to any College staff nor through third-parties. The College would not entertain any complaints that arise from a breach of these instructions.
Goodluck with your studies: always remember that matriculation is but the beginning of the journey and the prizes and the certificate are given out at the end. So, hoping to see you all again at the Convocation.
I wish to express immense gratitude to God, the parents, guardians, well-wishers, guests and the media for coming to celebrate with our matriculating students.
Thank you, the matriculation committee, for a job well done.
Thank you all and God bless.
Greatest Alvanites!
Alvan Ikoku Welcomes the new Governing Council
Prince Oyinlola, Board Chairman, flanked by Provost and Registrar
The Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri has had a storied and meteoric history, lightening up the educational firmament while successfully metamorphosing through several phases. It started out as an Advanced Teachers’ Training College owned by the Eastern Region Government. Later it came under the East Central State Government where it became a College of Education in 1973 and renamed Alvan Ikoku College of Education via a State Edict. The Imo State Government owned the College which was located right in the heart of the State capital, Owerri, and had started in the historic Old Shell Camp grounds until 2007, when the Federal Government took over the running of the College.
Since the Federal Takeover of the College, Alvan Ikoku has been experiencing a renaissance. The so called ‘Federal Might’ is no myth as the increased financial muscle is now very evident in infrastructure, staff welfare and emoluments. The improved fiscal and manpower resources now available in the College has positively rubbed off on the academic sphere with teaching and learning being conducted in an environment that is striving towards attaining global best practices.
The Federal Government takeover of Alvan Ikoku is a testament to the role of the College in fostering educational development in Nigeria. Initially established to produce teachers for the intermediate level (Primary and Junior Secondary), the College also produced teachers with Bachelors degree (in affiliation with the University of Nigeria, Nsukka). Its focus on “training the trainers” thus gave Alvan the unique place of affecting, directly or indirectly, nearly everybody who passed through a school in the South-East these past fifty years. So when the Federal Government, in 2007, acquired the College from the Imo State Government, education watchers and stake-holders agreed it was a step in the right direction.
Under the Federal Government tutelage the College has grown in leaps and bounds. Accorded the title of ‘primus interpares’ in the 1960s, the College has regained its past glory and is fast adding more feathers to its cap. New programmes have commenced alongside new buildings and personnel. The College now has a new School of General Studies, runs a Professional Diploma in Education, set-up a Department of Theatre Arts and just recently established a Department of Special Education with the mandate to become a centre of excellence for special education studies in the near future. Previously a back-up choice in University Matriculation Examinations, the College is now the defacto first choice of many candidates as students ‘rush’ to avail themselves the opportunity of attending a Federal Government run – first generation – institution with a rich history and culture of excellence dating half a century.
The progress evident in the College since the Federal takeover is also down to the Presidency making wise choices with the leadership of the College. The first Governing Board – in the Federal dispensation – made strident and marked impact in the College. Today, we welcome a new Governing Board led by the Chairman, Prince Ajibola Oyinlola (a scion of the famous Oyinlola royal family) that will steer the ship of the College, starting from this Jubilee year, and chart the course as we sail into a golden era for Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri.
GIANT STRIDES OF ALVAN PROVOST
By Leonard Ajokubi
I appreciate the courage and administrative style of the current Provost of the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, Dr. (Mrs.) Blessing C. Ijioma. The institution bedeviled with dilapidated structures and lack of facilities, is now wearing a new look those who have not been there since the past two years will now recognize it with its name boldly inscripted at the state-of-the-art gate of the College. It is indeed the cynosure of all eyes.
Interestingly, (Dr.) Mrs. Ijioma, apart from impacting positively on the Alvan environment, created a new sense of orientation among the generality of staff and students of the School. Her administration has also succeeded in maintaining a stable and sustainable academic calendar, and has continued to inculcate the spirit of togetherness and unity of purpose in Alvan.
A recent conversation with the Provost, however answered the question of how she managed to change the face of the institution within a short time. I was able to understand that her administration made substantial progress in moving the College forward because of her philosophy of life which is similar to that of Mary Manin Morrisery, which says “Don’t wait for something big to occur. Start where you are, with what you have, and that will always lead you to something greater.”
She brought her wealth of experience into focus, and this has led to an impressive range of attainments and gains recorded by Alvan, based on such credible tenets as accountability, purposefulness and overall good governance of the institution.
Unarguably, this administration, has due to judicious utilization of available funds re-roofed up to 12 students’ hostels neglected by the previous administrations, re-roofed classroom blocks at Shell Camp, and has awarded contracts for re-roofing and rehabilitation of the remaining ones, while many new structures have been raised by her administration. They are the Social Science classroom block at the Shell Camp area of the College; the one thousand capacity lecture theatre at main campus of the College; the Science building Lecture halls; laboratories and offices and the newly completed Farm House.
Others include, completed fencing projects, rehabilitation of many toilets and sinking of boreholes within the School premises to enable the students have access to water wholesome for consumption. The two new students’ hostels under construction are nearing completion.
Light and water problem, we all know, are actually national issues. They are not limited to Alvan, but the administration has made giant strides in the efforts to ensure steady power supply on campus.
According to the Provost, the College, after making passionate appeal to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) received a brand-new transformer from the Commission some three months ago. The College, who is in the process of installing another 500KVA transformer, has ordered for another one which will be delivered any moment from now.
Today, the library system of the institution which was almost collapsing has been transformed by the Provost. The library’s collections have been updated with new books and journals, the library’s leaking roof has been re-roofed, modern binding equipment and accessories acquired, and modern CCTV equipment installed in the library to check anti-library user behavior.
As student-friendly administration, the Management of the College under the watch of Dr. (Mrs.) Ijioma introduced bursary in the system on assumption of office. About 42 students were said to have benefited from this bursary of N20, 000 in 2010-2011 academic session, while the total number of beneficiaries in 2011-2012 is 102. This is the first of its kind in Nigeria, an institution splashing bursary on its students.
To achieve their aim, and as well ensure equitable distribution, two students benefitted from each department in the five Schools, on the platform of academic performance. Others considered are the physically challenged students, best students in creative writing, indigent students and winners of NICEGA medals at Abraka 2011 NICEGA games.
In furtherance, the Provost, since assumption of office in July, 2010 has ensured that the results of the students in different departments are released in time, a development that attracted much commendation from both the students and the members of the public.
Unlike before, candidates of Alvan who are qualified for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), programme embark on the exercise at the appropriate time, even those who were frustrated and abandoned by the previous administrations, have all been enlisted for the programme.
Worthy of note is the bold determination of the Provost, Dr. (Mrs.) Ijioma to maintain the tempo. She assured of her administration’s determination to continue with the positive transformation initiative, with the best of their ability, so as to fast-track the development of the College to world-class standard in the nearest future.
However, with what is already on ground, one needs not to be told that the easy-going Provost has lived up to expectations. Her administration has made substantial progress in moving the College forward. Of course, academic performance and infrastructural development have improved more than ever in the past 30 years.
Culled from Daily Sun, Monday, February 18, 2013
Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education Owerri 