Imo State Government has announced the compulsory teaching & learning of Igbo Language in all primary, post primary schools as well as tertiary institutions in the state.
Professor Viola Onwuliri, the Commissioner for Education announced this at the 4th matriculation ceremony of the state College of Nursing and Midwifery, Orlu during which 55 students were formally admitted into the institution for the 2018/2019 academic session.
Onwuliri who directed the provost of the school, Princess Ngozi Duru to make Igbo language a compulsory course in the institution also charged parents and guardians to teach their children how to speak and write Igbo to spare their precious mother tongue from possibly going into extinction.
Represented by the Director of Tertiary Education, Dr. Basil Iwu, the Commissioner said that her ministry, in partnership with the state’s Secondary Education Management Board had already organized workshop for teachers and principals of post primary schools in the state to enhance their capacity building, adding that a seminar for all Igbo language teachers had equally taken place in the state.
Professor Onwuliri expressed delight that students of the state origins have continued to excel in national and international examinations and gave an assurance that her ministry would continue to give the institution all the necessary support it requires to enable it to emerge as one of the best colleges of Nursing and Midwifery in the country.
Provost of the College, Princess Ngozi Duru, in an address earlier disclosed that the management had installed all necessary measures, strategies, structures, procedures and mechanisms that would reposition the college as the first among equals in Nursing education in the country.
She said that the college, in pursuance of its vision of enforcing academic excellence, promotion of godliness, competence, moral values and good character would continue to maintain a zero tolerance for all anti-social behaviours such as cultism, examination malpractices, drug abuse, hooliganism and prostitution.
She therefore enjoined the students to always obey the rules and regulations of the school, just as she advised them to be security conscious at all time.
Governor Emeka Ihedioha in a goodwill message through the State Director of Public Health, Dr. Austin Okeji described the ceremony as a milestone in the lives of the students and the school, stating that the college was relocated to its present site from where it was moved to Ogboko by the immediate past administration because of its conducive environment for teaching and learning and her potentials for future expansion and growth.
The governor while pledging the determination of his administration to provide affordable qualitative healthcare delivery services for the people advised students of the college and the host communities to guard against vandalization of facilities installed there.
Also speaking, the provost of the state college of education, Ihitte/ Uboma Prince Chris Osuegbu and the Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly Hon. Okey Onyekamma congratulated the students on their admission and subsequent matriculation and enjoined them to shun all acts capable of frustrating the realization of their worthy careers.
He stated that the college had been equipped with the best brains in the nursing profession to enable them to excel.
“You will be provided with all that you need because Governor Emeka Ihedioha is a lover of education and is interested to see you emerge as world class professionals in Nursing and Midwifery”
