WHAT MAKES UNIPORT UNIQUE?
To start with, what does the word “Unique” really mean to an average man? Unique is an attribute or characteristic property used to denote or qualify something with an outstanding feature when juxtaposed against other elements that falls within the same range of comparison. As such, those outstanding features possessed by such an element makes it unique in its special way.
Ever since time immemorial, the UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT (UNIPORT), CHOBA RIVERS STATE NIGERIA has always been referred to as “UNIQUE UNIPORT” which has left unanswered question in the tongues of the concerned students of this great citadel of learning...”WHAT MAKES UNIPORT UNIQUE?”, till date, 98% of the students in this institution still don’t know why Uniport is referred to as unique..
After due study and observation of this university in all Diaspora, I have personally come to realise a few things that in the actual sense made Uniport unique. They are properly outlined below;
It’s quite understandable that the world has gone digital, as such everybody wants to be part of the revolution. Uniport is one of the great institution in this our beloved country Nigeria that has improved technically and electronically , thus conducts computer based PUTME, writes a few of her inter school exams like the General courses with computer after which you see your result instantly.
Now the uniqueness of the school is that the same result you saw on the computer screen after writing your exam will go missing when published by the department. It’s only in unique Uniport you will have a course “B or C” in your ecampus portal and come to the department and see the same course “F” in your spreadsheet. WHAT MAKES UNIPORT UNIQUE?
It will also interest me to bring to your awareness that the University of Port Harcourt is a Federal University, of which Federal Universities in this country pay less school fess against its counterparts ; state universities, private universities, polytechnics amongst others . Other federal universities within the country do not pay more than #25,000 . Both statutory and non statutory. And the good thing about this other Federal Universities is that they give their beloved students enough time to get their school fees ready and pay.
Most often times, when a student is so incapacitated or financially unbalanced especially those whose parents are no more, who eat from hand to mouth, who find it very difficult eating 2 square meals in a day, those who spend 7hrs hustling in the labour market out of at about 10hrs they have in a day just to raise money for their upkeep and school fees. Those other Federal Universities managements knowing very well how bad the country’s economy is at the moment, dollar is very high and the president of the country said Nigeria is broke, which inadvertently affects every Tom, Dick and Harry in the country, those institutions considers also the fact that “all hands are not equal”, hence usually gives the students grace to learn and also enough time to get their fees ready. A lot of graduates today were not able to get their fees paid during their days in school; a large number of them paid their fees after their 4/5 years in school.
Now the uniqueness of Uniport is that it is the only unique federal university amongst other federal universities that pays #45,000, 100% of what other institutions pay. It doesn’t end there, knowing how exorbitant and cumbersome the fee is, the management will also go as far as giving students deadline to pay their fees, (1st 6weeks of resumption, this new year) and whosoever that doesn’t meet up with the deadline will lose that very academic session (repeat the class). It would have been quite understandable if students were strictly asked to ensure they pay their fees before the semester runs out, common! That will be awesome. A session comprises of both 1st and 2nd semester.

A session comprises of both 1st and 2nd semester. My question is;
What about students who’s their parents usually gives their fees towards the middle of 2nd semester because that is when they can actually provide the money?
What about students who train themselves?
What about students who work and go to school and they haven’t been paid their salary?
What about those who have no one to run to within this short stipulated period of time?
What about those who haven’t paid last session fees and this new session own has a deadline? (double payment)
Are we in a private university?
Are we in secondary school?
What has happened to the spirit of Aluta?
If a student has no intention to pay his/her school fees, why come to school in the first place?
Now, those who have the money are clustered there at different banks around school finding it difficult to make their pay due to poor network in the bank internet service. The ones among them who were able to make the payment are complaining of so many errors including receipt error. Someone made a payment for 2015/2016 session, and the receipt print out says its 2013/2014 session, he complain to bank customer care, they didn’t even attend to him because they have no such time to attend to complaints. Tomorrow he will lose his academic session because of error made by the bank out of pressure mounted on them. This is someone who has paid his school fees. WHAT MAKES UNIPORT UNIQUE?
University of Port Harcourt is one of the Universities in the country with the best structures and buildings which makes the school environment so attractive and comfortable.
But, the uniqueness of Uniport in terms of classrooms for learning cannot be over emphasized. It’s only in unique Uniport you will see university students sit on the floor to learn. It’s only in unique Uniport you will see about 200 students cluster like sardine in a classroom that can comfortably contain just 50 students without stress (unique Uniport) to learn. Now tell me, how can such students comfortable concentrate and understand what the lecturer is teaching when they will be busy dragging for seats and space. WHAT MASKES UNIPORT UNIQUE?
I wish to drop my pen here for now, but I strongly believe that a few of us who till now doesn’t know why Uniport is referred to unique have been appraised with the reasons why our great citadel of learning is UNIQUE.
SAY NO TO INTIMIDATION, STAND YOUR GROUND AND FIGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT.
ALUTA CONTINUA!!!!
VICTORIA ASCERTA!!!