DELSU Education Faculty To Float Professional Diploma Education

By Ben Nwanne

The Faculty of Education of Delta State University, Abraka (DELSU), has concluded plans to float a Professional Diploma in Education Programme, pending approval from the Teacher’s Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

Receiving a three-man resource verification team from the TRCN, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Andy Egwunyenga explained that the Education Faculty was the largest in the University and special because of the high level of cohesion there.

According to Professor Egwunyenga who is giving DELSU an enlightened and committed leadership, the Faculty had cut its teeth in teacher education, adding that “the Faculty is perhaps the best place to professionalize teacher education in the South South Zone of Nigeria”.

The Professor of Parasitology and Entomology gave a brief historical background of the Faculty which has its roots decades back when it housed the immensely popular College of Education, Abraka, and the Faculty of Education of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. Driving home his argument of the rich historicity of the Faculty, he added, humorously but realistically, that “the Vice-Chancellor’s Office which I now occupy was College of Education structure”.

The Vice-Chancellor who has insulated the University from the frequent ‘strikes’ in the University system since he mounted the saddle 45 months ago, promised that the University was ready to deploy its best human and material resources to make the programme successful. He pledged that the University was ready to go into fruitful and mutually beneficial relationship with the TRCN.

Professor Egwunyenga who recently inspected all on-going projects and promised to complete them before leaving office next year, remarked that there seemed to be a resurgence in the interest for education as a career against what it was earlier when many persons did not want to be associated with education as a course.

ALSO READ: Group Faults Sponsored Falsehood Against FCTA Permanent Secretary

“Everywhere, within Nigeria and outside, there is a turn around in the interest for education”, he observed.

“Even people in other professions are seeking to do education so as to be qualified to teach”.

Speaking on their mission to the University, the head of the three-man team, Professor Oyaziwo Aluede of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, explained their mission to be in response to DELSU’s invitation to TRCN to assess its resources for the proposed programme. As he put it, “we are here at the instance of the TRCN in response to your application. Authorities of the TRCN decided to send us to look at your facilities and human resources”.

Professor Aluede explained that the Council was ready to work with the University to move it and the country forward.

In his words, “we have come here to achieve a high level of professionalism. We hope DELSU and TRCN will bond for the progress of the country”. The programme, if approved by the regulatory body, will commence during the 2024 long holidays when teachers of the primary and secondary schools are expected to be on vacation.

Present at the occasion were some principal officers of the University, Professor Elo Ibagare, Provost, Oleh Campus; Mrs. Rufina Ufiofio, Registrar; Mrs. Otimeyin Ekakite-Omojuwa, Bursar; the newly appointed University Librarian, Dr. Mrs. Josephine Onowhakpo; Professor (Mrs) Florence Ugoji, Dean of Education; Professor Emperor Kpankpan, immediate past Dean of Education; Professor Canice Ikeoji, Director of the Institute of Education; Professor Hilary Owamah, Director of Academic Planning, among others.