FEATURED NEWS
SBS: I'm Focused On Holistic Development ~Ekanem By Ethel Timi-Johnson
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- Published: 06 February 2019
Newly-appointed Dean of the School of Basic Studies, Professor Ekanem Wokoma, has restated her resolve to holistically focus on the total development of students and inculcation of high moral standards that would transform them into responsible citizens.
Exchanging views with a UniPort News Correspondent in her office on Thursday, January 24, 2019, Professor Wokoma stated that the approach has become necessary because the students are leaving their homes for the first time and need to be properly equipped to face life at the university level. “These students are not fully prepared psychologically, emotionally and lack adequate knowledge of how the university works. It is obvious that some of the students admitted into the School of Basic Studies do not appear to appreciate the enormous responsibilities before them, especially the need to face their studies with seriousness and behave in an acceptable manner. Even some very brilliant ones among them are known to have dropped out of the programme because they lost focus, while others erroneously believe they are already in the university. So, I am looking at holistic development of the students by preparing them beyond merely attending classes and reveling in campus life,” Professor Wokoma said.
“To achieve this objective, we started by organising a holistic Orientation exercise during which we addressed pertinent issues that affect the total wellbeing of the students. We specifically exposed the students to the task before them and also prepared them to face the pressures of life on campus. The School of Basic Studies is like a mini university and there is a need to assist young people fit into their new environment,” she said. The Director also added that a career talk would be organised to enlighten the students on science-based career opportunities before the successful ones would enroll into the main university programme.
Reiterating the need to improve on the academic content, the Director added that the Second Semester would be dedicated to preparing the students for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), using the JAMB syllabus for teaching and tutorial classes. “We also plan to establish the School of Basic Studies Alumni to enable the students keep in touch with the School, even after they enroll into the main programme or graduate from the University,” Professor Wokoma said.
Emphasising that her long-term goal is to provide a dedicated hostel for students in the Basic Studies programme, the former Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture promised to improve on teaching facilities to give the students a memorable experience in their studies.
