The Institute of Continuing Education (I.C.E.), has been described as a veritable instrument for educational pursuit, especially for those aspiring to further their education.
The Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, FNIALS, made the remark when members of the Board and Management of the Institute visited him in his palace.
He noted that not much was known about the Institute, its programmes and constituents and charged the Board to lead advocacy for increased patronage considering the importance of the school to the education system.
“I say this because my journey up the academic ladder will not be complete without mentioning my personal experience with the ICE in Benin. I was a Senior Prefect in Saint Patrick’s College, Asaba, and I devoted all my time to doing prefectorial work, even as I was doing both lower six and upper six; as well as running five papers for Advance Level. A very heculean task. Ordinarily people hardly passed the A Level exams. If you are able to pass one paper you thank your God.
“As a Senior Prefect striving to do well, I did all the work and during holidays I would go to Benin for extra moral classes at the ICE. And on my return to school people would wonder. A very efficient Senior Prefect I was, and in the end I passed all my five papers at A Level.
“The bottom line is that but for the ICE I would not have been able to pass my exams. So, if I can benefit from the Institute as far back as 1975, talkless now. That’s why I believe that there’s need for projection so that people can get to know exactly what you do and how they can benefit from your extra moral classes.
“So, it is for us to lead advocacy so that those who are in doubt will know that you exist”, the highly revered traditional ruler said.
The Asagba promised to mobilize support for the Institute and personally help to draw attention to the school so that people aspiring to further their education can benefit like he did.
In an address, the Chairman of the ICE Board, Chief Florence Omoni Johnson, said the visit was to familiarize the Monarch with the Institute, which, through the intervention of the late Asagba Prof Chike Edozien, had remained in existence after it was almost closed down by the state government some years back.
Omoni Johnson said ICE was established by law to run courses leading to the award of ND, HND and Degree of affiliate institutions until such programmes were terminated by the immediate past administration, leaving the school with programmes at JS1-3, SS1-3, SSCE and JAMB preparatory classes.
The Board Chairman said the Institute was hoping to strategize and break new grounds in line with the Renewed Hope for MORE Agenda of the Oborevwori administration and solicited the support and cooperation of the Asagba towards achieving set goals.
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