Chairman of the Rivers State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Hon. Doctor Farah Dagogo,has proposed a change of name for the State University of Science and Technology, RSUST, to Rivers State University.
Hon. Doctor Farah Dagogo made this known Thursday at plenary during the second reading of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST bill.
Hon. Farah Dagogo, who is also the lawmaker representing Degema Constituency in the State Assembly, noted that the RSUST and the state has a lot to lose if the name is not changed, especially in the face of the National Universities Commission, NUC, recent directive that Universities should focus on its core mandate area of study.
The lawmaker posited that not only will RSUST lose many of its accredited courses, it will put the fate of the institution’s students in the balance.
“Mr. Speaker, every law has a spirit. The spirit behind the enactment of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, RSUST, no longer exist. A new spirit has taken over. That spirit to expand the University so that all can have access to it.
“The crucial point I am making is that the name of the University can no longer stand the test of time. The name of the University and its mandate, which tilt towards technology, has excluded many who would have desired to gain admission into the University.
” I propose that the University should be called ‘The Rivers State University ‘. By this name , all restrictions, limitations and hindrances would have been removed, besides change in nomenclature is not new to the University.
” You recall Mr. Speaker, recently, the National Universities Commission, NUC, asked universities to focus on their area of specialisation. If this is enforced,then Rivers State University of Science and Technology will only focus on Science and Technology courses to the detrimental exclusion of Management, Law, Social Sciences and Humanities.
” What will be the fate of numerous students that have enrolled in these programmes in the institution and those that have been given admission by Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB, when NUC decides to make that announcement operational?
“I suggest we take the bull by the horn and act now by taking advantage of this Bill to adopt appropriate name for the University to serve our people and society better by so doing,” he explained.
He futher suggested that “if we accept the proposal to establish a mega University section 1 (1) of the Bill has to reflect same. That is, stating copiously that the Rivers State University shall be a successor of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology instead thereof. Also, section 2 of the Bill has to reflect the new thinking.
In their various contributions, the duo of Hon. Smart Tonye Adoki and Hon. Victoria Nyeche also concur on the need of nomenclature in the University ‘s name.
