My Focus Is To Make Graduates Of Afaha Nsit Rank With Colleagues Anywhere – New Provost
The newly appointed provost of the College of Education, Afaha Nsit, Nsit Ibom, says the focus of his administration is to institute an academic culture that would make graduates of the college compete with their colleagues anywhere in the world.
Dr Daniel Udo who stated this recently while interacting with newsmen shortly after a joint meeting of Management and Academic Board of the institution held in the Conference Room, Office of the Provost, said he plans to make the college an educational institution in the right sense of the word.
According to him, since his resumption of office, he has tackled various issues in the college such as brochure of students, curriculum/standard of delivery, environment, welfare of staff and students and everything put together to ensure that high standard and culture of academic is instituted in the college.
On what he intends to do differently from his predecessors, Udo said, coming from a background where assumption of office is not celebrated but rather valediction, it was not yet time to compare notes with his predecessors till the end of his tenure as the tasks are enormous and work is much.
Earlier, during his meeting with Management and Academic Board, the new provost frowned at actions and behaviors inimical to the growth of the college put up by staff such as delays in the treatment and release of promotion letters to those due for promotion except gratification follows; and demanding of money from students before assignments are submitted, saying, “those who do these are worse than the provost.”
Udo who was against apportioning of blames by some staff on others, said it was not time to do that but time to work together in unity and commitment, stressing that with sincere purpose, they can move the college forward.
The provost stated that he was coming to Afaha Nsit to work and not to listen to blames and solicited the cooperation of the management and academic staff of the college to enable him succeed in office.
Udo promised not to treat welfare of staff with any levity but to take their outstanding welfare benefit headlong to the higher authority.
His words, “I do not expect to treat your welfare with any levity. If I do that, I will be disappointing myself. Whatever are your outstanding welfare benefits, I will take it headlong to the higher authority”.
The provost urged the board members to show commitment to every official duty, ensure optimal academic activities are carried out in the college and should not allow the absence of the handover to stop the smooth running of the institution, adding, “for us to work and not stumble, let us be committed, because to whom much is given, much is expected.”
Udo assured them that “despite the challenges, together we can get there and the sky will not even be our limit.”
On why the handover was delayed, the new provost noted, “For the fact that the handover has not been done does not mean that there are hitches in the college. It is an internal arrangement between the former and new provost. Within management staff and the college, it can be done, so, if we have hitches along the line, we can inform you (media) but for now, there are no hitches.”
Udo who made known that he had since assumed office and hit the ground running, said his administration being a new one is striving to get things put in place, assuring that in due course everything will normalize.
He sued for a good working relationship between the college and the media, while also advocating for the encouragement of the culture of reportage that will promote the people and the state in general as obtained in other climes.
The chairman, Academic Staff Union of the College, Mr Ime Archibong of the Department of integrated science, described the new provost as a “Daniel coming to execute judgment’, urging him to imbibe excellent spirit and carry every one along, expressing determination and readiness of all staff to work with him.
Archibong who pledged the support of the staff to the new provost, appealed to him to pay attention to the welfare of staff, saying, “By the time you pay attention, you will not need to coarse us to work for the interest of the college.”
He called on those in charge of the handover to endeavour to do it smoothly in the interest of the college.
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