Six (6) Postgraduate Diploma Students of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) Training School, Abuja Study Centre on Monday, September 16, 2019, defended their project work with examiners calling on them to ensure mastery of their work.

The Acting Executive Secretary of NICO, Mr. Louis Eriomala who led the team of examiners admonished students to speak to their project works and not see it as a debating ground.

“I want to advice those of you who are coming here to defend your project on the need to understand that you are not here to debate but to speak to your project. If you know your project, just go straight to the point and speak to it because you are the one teaching us today”.

Professor Emmanuel Dandaura of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), representative of NSUK on NICO’s Academic Board, implored the students to focus their presentation on what they researched about; what informed the choice of their topic; how they went about it as well as the outcome of their findings.

He disclosed that if a research concept by a student is misunderstood by examiners, the students should feel free to provide explanation since they are the ones who went to the field for the research.

In his words “When you think you have a better understanding of a point, feel free because you are the one who did the research and you are the one lecturing us now, therefore you have more information than us. So if you think we did not understand you fully by a particular question and you feel by providing explanation, we will understand the perspective your study took it, that will be fine”.

“When you have questions that you know are positive contributions to your work, simply accept them. When we have questions you also don’t understand, you can ask for further information that will help you”, he said.

Among the criteria for assessment were: physical appearance, scholarship and debt of knowledge of chosen topic, ability to respond to questions, arrangement and orderly presentation of materials as well as appropriateness of presentation.

Other examiners on the panel were Dr. Regina Onuoha (Coordinator, Abuja Study Centre, NICO Training School); Mr. Wole Akanle (Student Affairs Officer); and Mrs. Aloke Amaechi Perpetual.

Caleb Nor

Media Asst.-Ag.ES

NICO HQ

Abuja, FCT