By Gabriel Ukuta
The Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has revealed plans to partner Hensard University in both formal and informal education of youths in the Niger Delta.
Head of Education, Dr. Charles Ariye, disclosed this when he led a team on facility inspection visit to the institution in Toru Orua, Bayelsa State, adding that this was necessary as PAP is at the reintegration phase that focuses on youths training in the region in a bid to reintegrate them into society.
Dr. Ariye said with the available facilities in the institution, Hensard University meets the requirement to deliver quality education to the youths of the region while serving the interest of the PAP scheme.
“We are here from the Presidential Amnesty Programme office in Abuja, as you are aware the programme is a tripod (DDR) programme and we are in the R stage, which is reintegration, and it is basically training of the youths in both formal and informal education so that they can be easily reintegrated into the society.
“Hensard is a higher education institution and within that formal context they wrote us on the need to partner with the PAP and we are here for facility inspection. We were well received; they took us round and we are satisfied with what we have seen.
“We are returning to Abuja to write our report and hopefully the final decision will be in favour of Hensard University in terms of partnership with the PAP”, Dr. Ariye assures.
In his remarks, Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Dileep Kumar, said it will be a thing of pleasure to have beneficiaries of the PAP programme at Hensard University, adding, “A partnership between the PAP and Hensard University will be a great opportunity for Bayelsans and the Institution, as we have what it takes to deliver quality education to the beneficiaries of the programme”.
Professor Kumar also informed the visitors that the institution is open to more partnership in its bid to deliver academic excellence across the nation and the globally.
“It’s a great opportunity for Bayelsa State specifically and for Hensard University, because a lot of students will like to get appropriate education from the programme, and it is a honour that we are chosen for this particular programme. We are also happy to have amnesty students here; you have trust in us because we have quality education and faculty members…
“We are assuring the PAP that we will take care of the students in the proper way towards achieving the set goals,” he added.
Also in the PAP education team were the Assistant Head of education, Mr. Anthony George, and Mr. Darlington Igwe, the Principal Reintegration Advisor.
