The Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Rumuolumeni, Port Harcourt, has trained 400 newly employed non-teaching staff on work processes and ethics to strengthen administrative efficiency and support the attainment of the institution’s strategic goals.
The one-day mandatory capacity-building workshop, held at the University Auditorium was designed to equip the newly employed staff with the knowledge, skills and values required for effective performance and integration into the university system.
Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, the Registrar, Dr. Chinonye Abraham Ajie, said the training would promote discipline, integrity, teamwork, confidentiality and professionalism among the participants.
He noted that non-teaching staff constitute the administrative engine room of the university system, adding that their efficiency, attitude to work and adherence to institutional rules directly affect service delivery, students’ experiences and the university’s image.
Ajie urged the participants to take the training seriously, stressing that certificates would be issued only to those who attended, while absent staff would be treated as ghost workers.
Also speaking, the Director of Training and Capacity Building, Professor Lysias Dodd Gilbert, said the role of non-teaching staff was complementary to that of teaching staff, noting that quality university education depended on a strong and efficient administrative support system.
He explained that the induction was necessary to familiarise the newly employed staff with the university’s administrative procedures, ethics and service charter, while bridging the gap between academic qualifications and effective job performance.
Gilbert urged the participants to apply the knowledge acquired throughout their careers to improve service delivery in the institution.
In his presentation on ethics, the lead trainer and consultant from Oviri School of Politics, Ethics and Development, Abuja, Dr. Okachukwu Dibia, emphasised the importance of ethical conduct, accountability and teamwork in the workplace.
He urged the staff to maintain confidentiality, be security-conscious, avoid cutting corners and place the interests of the university above personal interests.
Dibia also stressed the need for punctuality, respect for constituted authority and a positive attitude to work, noting that proper understanding of administrative procedures would reduce workplace conflicts and improve productivity.
Speaking on the work process, Dr. Sam Kalagbor highlighted the need for staff to understand their responsibilities, career progression paths and performance appraisal procedures.
He said the training would help new employees settle into the university system, understand their duties and reporting lines, and improve their administrative, communication and ICT skills.
Kalagbor added that effective integration would reduce errors and uncertainty associated with new jobs, while exposing staff to opportunities for promotion, training and professional development.
He also emphasised the importance of institutional discipline, proper record-keeping and accountability in ensuring sustainable administrative processes.
On the legal aspects of work ethics, Barrister Richard Wokocha charged the participants to understand that employment in a university system was governed by established laws and regulations rather than sentiments.
He explained that the staff were subject to the Public Service Rules of Rivers State, the IAUE Establishment Law, the Conditions of Service for Senior and Junior Staff, and other regulations approved by the Governing Council.
The workshop featured a question-and-answer session and the presentation of certificates to participants.
