FECOTECH Asaba: Group Petitions Provost Over Alleged Injustice Against Orife

By Oasis Magazine
A group known as Concerned for Good Governance, Delta State Chapter, has petitioned the Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, Mrs Anene Okakwa, for her involvement in the injustice meted on one Miss Beatrice Orife.

The group in a petition signed by the Chairman, Ikebukwu Christian and Secretary, Dafe Ogenekaro, disclosed that Orife was removed as Head of Department (HOD), General Studies, denied of promotion and her 3 months salary.

The Provost, Anene Okakwa was accused of being behind the ordeal of Orife because of her unfriendly attitude towards Orife since she assumed office as Provost of the College.

It was gathered that problem began in the institution when the Head of Department, General Studies, Beatrice Orife in a letter of invitation signed by the Chairman, Committee of Deans, Moemeka A.P dated April 24, 2018 to appear before the committee following a petition from the Students SUG.

The petition said that the HOD, Orife was expected to come along with these documents: questions for GSE 223 and 224 for 2016/17 session, marking guide for the courses, continuous assessment (CA), marked scripts and moderator’s report for the two courses.

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The petition from the students SUG was titled: ‘Petition for the Non-Acceptance of GSE 223 (Citizenship Studies) and GSE 224 (Entrepreneurship) for 2016/17 second semester result.’

According to the petitioner, Year 3 students who were aggrieved with the outcome of the aforementioned courses, alleged that after series of fact findings from the course Rep, the students discovered that scores were issued randomly, continuous assessment were not included in the computation of the result and deemed that these documents courses should be remarked, re moderated, continuous assessment included and that the text books for the named courses were available to serve as exhibits.

Beatrice Orife as the Head of General Studies in a querry to one Dr (Mrs) lokoyi Osita dated 25th September, 2018 which reads: “it has come to the knowledge of the department that you taught 323 (Science and Technology) which was not allocated to you. You also jettisoned the examination questions which you set with Numdi who is assigned to teach the course GSE 323.”

In the query, it was learnt that Dr lokoyi Osita alone set another question, externally moderated it and administered the question without the knowledge of the department.

She was externally moderated examination questions for GSE 124 which does not go for external moderation which is a year course but offered by year two part time.

Dr osita was allegedly engaged in the actions and violating the provision for examination regulations of the NCCE curriculum implementation frame work for NCCE of 2012.

Being involved in the violation of the examination regulations of the NCCE curriculum, she was required to bring the three courses she had moderated to the department to show within 48hours and why disciplinary action should not be taken against her (Osita).

However, Orife in her complain dated October 3, 2018 tagged “Complain of Examination Irregularities, Double External Moderation of GSE 323, (Science and Technology and GSE 124, Family and Emerging Health Issue (FLEHI) forwarded to the Deans of School of Education sent GSE 323 full time and part time for external moderation, even when the Dean knows that all GS questions have been sent for external moderation and distributed to the course lecturer.

It was learnt that the Dean had sent GSE 124, Family Life and Emerging Health Issue which does not go for external moderation.

Moreso, the Dean was aware that all 100level courses irrespective of the levels offering it does not go for external moderation.

Sources further revealed that the Dean sent an education lecturer to take GS questions for external moderation without the knowledge of the Head of Department of GS.

Besides, the Dean, School of Education allowed Dr. (Mrs) Lokoyi Osita to administer GSE 323 questions for examination, a course that was not allocated to her and external moderation did not pass through the department of GS .

Also in the light of this, Orife forwarded another letter to the Registrar of the college and copied NCCE titled “Non Declaration of Vacancies in general studies department dated April 16,2019.

The letter stated: “I refer to your memorandum dated 21st of September, 2017 requesting for list of vacancies in each department. The Department of General Studies did not declare any vacancies.”

According to the letter, the department has thirty two academic staff and this made it already overstaffed in English course alone.

There are seven lecturers teaching only one English course. The Citizenship Education has nine lecturers teaching the course, which the congestion has created problem of setting questions in examination. marking and entry of students scores into the mark sheets.

Orife disclosed in her letter to the registrar that the department is not accepting the four converted non academic staff redeployed to General Studies and will appreciate if the rejection application was considered and accepted.

Further investigations revealed that a query was issued to Beatrice Orife, from the Provost through the Dean, School of Education dated May 6, 2019 based on her memo to the Registrar on non declaration of vacancies in general studies department.

The group said that while responding to the query, Orife noted that she called the Registrar of the school on several occasions to discuss the issue with him personally but the Registrar did not respond to her calls or text messages. This was the reason why she had to write to the Registrar.

According to Orife in her response to her query, she noted that because she did not route letter of conversion through the Dean in order to avoid top management to see it as act of insubordination and violation of due process, she followed the line of communication of the Registrar.

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The petition said that the Dean who was aware that General Studies was already over staffed failed in her responsibility.

Orife emphasized that when the memo was sent for declaration of vacancies, she consulted her academic staff to find out if they need support for their lectures but they said they do not because most of them were reluctant due to the over crowding of lecturers to one course.

She maintained that this was the reason why she did not want to be seen as being disobedient to constituted authority as she did not declare any vacancy.

She said: “Because I understand the procedure for grievance as contained in section 6 and sub-section 1-3 of the revised conditions of service 2015 page 8, it is not a laid down rule that HOD route their memo through the Dean.”

The group however revealed that Orife in her response noted that the top management should have in mind that the position of HOD is not in name but relevant to their function, stressing that the top management should have allowed the HODs to exercise their powers as stimulated by the conditions of the scheme service.

Checks revealed that it is the Registrar of the college who has records of the staff strength of each department which could be served as reference point in his decision.

The petitioner confirmed that on may 27, 2019 an invitation letter was received by Orife from Chairman, Investigation on alleged misconduct against her signed by its Secretary. J.I Eviem.

The letter contained that I am directed to inform you that the above mentioned committee set up by management of the college, hereby request that you appear before the committee on Thursday 30th May, 2019 at 11:00am prompt, venue is the office of the Chairman and Director Quality Assurance.

On the 18th of July, 2019, a letter was sent to Beatrice Orife by the Registrar signed by the Deputy Registrar, Council/Management C.Okwechi with title: ‘Approved Discinary Action by Governing Overning Council on Miss B:F. Orife Head of Department of General Studies’.

The memorandum contains that at the 19th governing council meeting hold on Wednesday, 3 July,2019,the council considered the report of the appointment and promotion and disciplinary committee on your alleged misconduct and insurbodination action to constituted authority after extensive deliberations on the issue, council upheld the committee report and noted that you actually committed the offence leveled against you consequently, council based on the following, you are hereby given stern warning to desist from committing a similar misconduct in future. The council also decided that you should be removed from office with immediate effect and barred from holding any administrative position for the next four years.

As a principal lecturer, she was supposed to appear before the governing because she was too strong intellectually in the college.

“The authority saw her as an enemy and setup a kangaroo panel against her,” the group said.

Sources revealed that the trauma of .B.f Orife began when the provost assumed office. She terminated the forum for Head of department which Orife was the Chairman while she allowed the forum for Deans to function.

Corrupt practices have been covered by the Provost which ranged from falsification of results, deversion of school funds and collections of money from students for marks.

The group demands that.B.F. Orife should be paid her 3months salary while she was suspended, a new panel should be reconstituted to revisit the allegation against her. That she should be reinstated as the HOD, General studies, her promotion should be given to her and all her entitlements should be given to her.

When contacted, the Provost denied the allegations, saying that due process was followed in all that was done about the issue that affected Orife.

“She ought to be promoted this year and it is good she allows sleeping dogs lie,” she averred.