Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has been told to transfer the school of Marine Technology in Burutu, Burutu local government area of the state to the Ministry of Higher Education for supervision.
An educationist and an environmental activist, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, disclosed that if the school is placed under the ministry of Higher Education, it would enable it function effectively and optimally than when it is allowed to remain under the State Ministry of Transportation.
Mulade, a traditional titled holder, a Peace Ambassador who doubles as the President, Riverine Communities Development Forum of Nigeria, made this known to journalists in Abuja, at the weekend.
He stressed that the transfer of the School to the Higher Education Ministry would attract academics and professionals to run and manage the institution for the betterment of students and Deltans in general.
The Rights activist noted that the School of Marine Technology, Burutu, had been attached to the Ministry of Transport, indicating that it was meant to train the youths in crash programmes only instead of in full fledged degree and diploma courses such as those in the universities and polytechnics respectively.
He wondered why those who conceptualized the Marine School did not place it under the State Ministry of Higher Education, a body which has the academic techniques, manpower and competence to train degree and diploma students, but rather tucked it in the Transport Ministry whose corporate goal is merely to train students in the business of marine transportation and technology.
According to Mulade, in tertiary education, a professional certificate is quite different from an academic certificate, appealing that the riverine communities in the state, appealed to, and requested Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to transfer the School of Marine Technology, Burutu, to the Ministry of Higher Education to enable academic experts run and manage it towards achieving set goals.
He also called on the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chief Sheriff Oborevwori and his colleagues to amend the Act that established the School of Marine Technology, and transfer it to the State Ministry of Higher Education, to enable it achieve the purpose for which it was established.
