The Southern Delta University, Ozoro is poised to take its place as a model 21st century state of the art quintessential university within the next few years. Prof. Sunny Awhefeada has said. The Vice Chancellor, Prof S. I. Awhefeada made this assertion at the opening of a training workshop for academic staff of the university held at Ozoro and Orerokpe campus on 2nd and 4th June 2026 respectively.
By Joseph Obaro Ikupa
According to the V.C while the State government is providing the enabling environmental for research and learning through infrastructure development and funding, management is out to provide the necessary push needed for academic staff to attain the peak of their careers and put in their best in their service delivery. This staff training workshop by the quality assurance unit is one of such initiatives. He further stated that more of such trainings will hold in the near future as part of the compulsory continuous staff development initiatives of the university.
In his welcome address the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Chairman, Quality Assurance and Standards Unit, Prof. Macaulay Mowarin stated that there is a paradigm shift in research, teaching and learning in the 21st century and the Southern Delta University can not be left behind hence this training workshop. He appreciated the VC, Prof. S. I Awhefeada for approving the workshop.
Also Speaking at the event, the Provost of Orerokpe Campus, Prof. Akpovughaye Taiga who was ably represented by Prof. Patrick O. Oromareghake advised all academic staff to make the best use of the opportunity provided for them and listen attentively to capture the essence of the training and put what they would learn to use to ensure that the efforts and resources put into the training are not wasted.
Delivering his lecture titled: Academic Advancement through Effective Quality Assurance Practices, Prof. J. N. Odili, a professor of measurement and evaluation, Delta State University, Abraka posits that the university is the ultimate of tertiary education worldwide. He identified the goals of university education to include: the development of high-quality manpower within the contexts of the needs of the nation; making professional contents reflect our national requirements; developing in learners the ability to read and comprehend complex literatures; developing in learners critical thinking needed to solve societal problems and to inculcate in learners, ability to collect data, make analysis for informed decision making, amongst others.
Thereafter, Prof. Odili who had led the quality assurance unit of Delsu for several years highlighted the place of Quality Assurance in university education. He pointed out the roles of the Vice Chancellor, lecturers, departments, Faculties and the quality assurance unit in ensuring qualitative service delivery in a university. He stated that the importance of continuous assessments, take home assignments and tests in building students knowledge and confidence cannot be overemphasized. Lecturers, he posits, must know whatever they are teaching ten times more than the atudents they are teaching and they must mark tests, return scripts to students and discuss the results with the students for maximum benefits.
In the second lecture titled: the interconnected roles of quality assurance for lecturers students and the university by Prof. Ochuko Anomoharan the importance of ensuring transparent assessment of students and quality lecture delivery and mentorship in the university environment took centre stage.
According Prof. Anomoharan, a former Deputy Vice Chancellor of Delta State University Abraka lecturers must be up and doing in this digital age to ensure that their lecture surpasses what students can get from a single source on the Internet.
At the end of the training the university lecturers expressed satisfaction with the workshop and thanked the Vice Chancellor and the resource persons profusely for the opportunity. Speaking on behalf of the lecturers, Dr. Kelvin Agbarha Egberi, Director of Conversion Programmes conveyed their appreciation to the university dons for a job well done.
