The Rector of Stars Maritime Academy,(SMA) ,Dr. Reuben Ovai has called on stakeholders in the maritime sector not to label privately-owned maritime schools in the country as mushrooms or three bedrooms institutions, but rather to encourage such schools in their capacity as manpower development organisations in the sector.
Ovai told Shipping Position Daily in Lagos last week that there is need to correct the impression that the private schools are out to beg for financial assistance from agencies of government.
The Rector of Stars Maritime Academy,(SMA) ,Dr. Reuben Ovai has called on stakeholders in the maritime sector not to label privately-owned maritime schools in the country as mushrooms or three bedrooms institutions, but rather to encourage such schools in their capacity as manpower development organisations in the sector.
Ovai told Shipping Position Daily in Lagos last week that there is need to correct the impression that the private schools are out to beg for financial assistance from agencies of government.
The Stars Maritime Academy boss said that the private schools expect government agencies to treat them like every other government approved schools, because, according to him, they are not encouraged at all.
According to him, SMA was approved by the Federal Ministry of Education and there is the need to give equal opportunities to very students that graduated from both private and government schools in the industry.
He cautioned that, "it is not a matter of giving us money, before you start a school you might have looked into your resources to know whether you are capable or not".
"Again there is nothing wrong if support comes from NIMASA to the private schools after all, the agency is supporting foreign maritime schools through sending Nigerians abroad".
The Rector also faulted statement from stakeholders that private maritime schools should get closer to ministry of education for assistance, saying NIMASA is supposed to get closer to the private schools because of the sector it represents.
Ovai explained that encouragement from agencies from the maritime sector might come in form of visitation to the schools and to assess infrastructures on ground.
"We expect agencies of government from the maritime industry to come and see what we have on ground, give advice ,even if they visit the private schools and say well done to us, it will boost our morale to do more, than to castigate us that we are mushroom schools”, he stressed.
"Calling private maritime schools mushroom is discouraging because we know what we have put in place for the training of our cadets"
He also added that Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron in Akwa Ibom state cannot accommodate the yearnings of Nigerians who want to pursue a career in the maritime sector.
He pointed out that there is need for more private maritime schools, adding that MAN cannot absorb more than 1000 students annually.
He urged stakeholders to correct the impression towards private schools noting that the private schools more interested in the area of awareness and recognition.
The retired naval officer reiterated that there is no private school that has written a letter to NIMASA for financial support and that the ministry of education has played its role through accreditation or approval of the schools, and what to put in place as a school.
The Rector however called on NIMASA to visit the school and pass its verdict whether it is a mushroom school.
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