Group Petitions Provost of FECOTECH Asaba, over perceived injustice against one Orife

A group known as Concerned for Good Governance, CGG, Delta State Chapter, has petitioned the Provost of Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, FECOTECH, Mrs. Anene Okakwa for her alleged involvement in the perceived injustice meted on one Miss Beatrice Orife.

The group in a petition signed by its Chairman, Ikebukwu Christian and Secretary, Dafe Ogenekaro, averred that Orife was displaced of her position as Head of Department, HOD, General Studies, denied of promotion and her three months’ salary. 

Mrs. Okakwa, was accused of masterminding the removal of Orife as HOD, because of “her unfriendly attitude towards Orife, since she assumed Office as Provost of the College”.

Problem reportedly began in the College when the Chairman, Committee of Deans, Moemeka .A.P, in a letter dated April 24, 2018, invited Beatrice Orife, who was then Head of Department, General Studies, to appear before the Committee, following a petition from the Students’ Union Government, SUG.

Fresh Angle International understands that Orife was expected to come along with the following documents; questions for GSE 223 and 224 for 2016/17 Session, marking guide for the courses, Continuous Assessment, CA, marked scripts and moderator's report for two courses.

The petition was titled Non-Acceptance of GSE 223(Citizenship Studies) and GSE 224 (Entrepreneurship) for 2016/17 for the second semester result.

The Students’ Union Government in their petition, alleged that after series of fact findings from the course Rep, year-3 students: “Discovered that scores were issued randomly, continuous assessment were not included in the computation of their result and demanded that the courses be remarked, re moderated, continuous assessment included and the text books of the courses be made available to serve as exhibits”.

Beatrice Orife, as the Head of General Studies, in a query dated September 25, 2018 and addressed to one Dr. (Mrs.) Lokoyi Osita, purportedly stated in part: “It has come to the knowledge of the department that you taught 323(Science and Technology) which was not allocated to you, you also jettisoned the examination questions, which you set with Numdi, who is assigned to teach the course GSE 323”.

In the query, it was alleged that Dr. Lokoyi Osita, set another question alone, externally moderated it and administered the question, without the knowledge of the department.

She reportedly moderated the examination questions externally alone for GSE 124, which didn’t go for external moderation and was a year course, but offered by year two part-time.

Dr. Osita, allegedly violated the provision for examination regulations of the NCCE curriculum implementation frame work for NCCE of 2012.

Osita, being allegedly involved in the violation of the examination regulations of the NCCE curriculum, she was required to bring the three courses she had moderated to the department to show within 48hours, why disciplinary action should not be taken against her. 

Orife in her response dated October 3, 2018, titled: "Complain of Examination Irregular Rites Double External Moderation of GSE 323, (Science and Technology and GSE 124, Family and Emerging Health Issue, FLEHI)”, forwarded to the Deans of School of Education, full-time and part-time for external moderation, stated that the Dean knows all GS questions, have been sent for external moderation and distributed to the course lecturer.

Sources claimed that the Dean sent an Education lecturer to take GS questions for external moderation, without the knowledge of the Head of Department of GS.

Besides, the Dean, School of Education allowed Dr. (Mrs.) Lokoyi Osita, to administer GSE 323 questions for examination, a course that was not allocated to her and external moderation did not pass through the department of GS.

Orife reportedly forwarded another letter to the Registrar of the College and copied NCCE titled: "Non Declaration of Vacancies in General Studies Department. The letter stated: "I refer to your memorandum dated 21st of September, 2017, requesting for list of vacancies in each department, the department of general studies, did not declare any vacancies”.

According to the letter, the department has thirty two academic staff and this made it already overstaffed. In English course alone, there are seven lecturers.

Orife disclosed in her letter to the Registrar that the department was not accepting the four converted non-academic staff redeployed to general studies and would appreciate if the application was considered and accepted.

Further investigations revealed that a query was issued to Beatrice Orife, from the Provost through the Dean, School of Education, dated May 6, 2019, based on her memo to the Registrar on non- declaration of vacancies in General Studies Department.

According to the group, while responding to the query, Orife noted that she called the Registrar of the School on several occasions to discuss the issue with him personally, but the Registrar did not respond to her calls or text messages, hence she had to write to the Registrar.

Orife, in her response to the query, claimed that she did not route the letter of conversion through the Dean in order to avoid top management to see it as act of insubordination and violation of due process, but followed the line of communication of the Registrar.

She said: "Because I understand the procedure for grievance as contained in section 6 and sub-section 1-3 of the revised conditions of service 2015 page 8, it is not a laid down rule that HOD route their memo through the Dean".

The group, stressed that the top management should have allowed the HODs to exercise their powers as stimulated by the conditions of the scheme of service.

Checks revealed that it is the Registrar of the College who has records of the staff strength of each department, which could be served as reference point in decision making.

The petitioner confirmed that on May 27, 2019, a letter of invite was received by Orife from the Chairman, investigation on alleged misconduct against her signed by its Secretary. J.I Eviem.

Sources revealed that the trauma of B.F Orife began when the Provost assumed Office, she terminated the forum for Heads of Department, which Orife was the Chairman, while she allowed the forum for Dean to function.

The group demanded the following; the three months’ salary of Orife, should be paid to her, a new panel be reconstituted to revisit the allegations against her, while she should be reinstated as the HOD General Studies. They also want Orife promoted and all her entitlements given to her.

×