THE Federal Government has said that it was taking serious consideration
at reintroducing compulsory hostel accommodation at universities,
stressing that the system in the past contributed to a better and
quality students.
The Executive Secretary of Nigerian
Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Julius Okojie, who disclosed this
while representing President Muhammadu Buhari at the 21st convocation
ceremony of University of Uyo (UNIUYO) at the weekend, said this has
become expedient, as it would address the dwindling quality of graduates
being produced from these tertiary institutions.
Also, the NUC
boss explained that government was also taking seriously the issue of
reducing the lecturer/student ratio and reinventing the universities to
become centres of inventions.
He, therefore, challenged lecturers
in the country’s institutions of higher learning to do more in the area
of researches that would be of great benefit to Nigerians, adding that a
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree would soon become the least
qualification for all academic members of staff of the country’s
universities.
He tasked managements of universities on
accountability and prudence in the applications of funds, urging them to
endeavour to build synergies with state governments, public and private
institutions and organisations to address some of their challenges.
According
to Prof. Okojie, universities in the country did not fare well in the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but assured that shortcomings of the
country’s tertiary institutions would be carried over to the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Addressing the Visitor and
graduands of the university, the Vice Chancellor of UNIUYO, Prof.
Comfort Ekpo, expressed satisfaction with the progress made by the
university during her tenure, noting that the university has become the
10th most preferred university in the country with more than 40,000
applicants selecting it in the 2015 UME examinations while it was given
an admission quota of 6,659 during the period.
The university,
she also stated, is currently ranked as the 55th best in Africa in 2015
with 98 per cent of its programmes having full accreditation.
“All
these progress was made possible because we have maintained a high
academic standard. Ninety-eight per cent of our academic programmes have
been accredited by the National Universities Commission, including
Pharmacy, which always had problems in the past having full
accreditation status while we are working on getting accreditation for
Efik/Ibibio.
“The university had had full accreditation for seven
years with seven programmes presented for accreditation recently found
worthy to be accredited. We have also played host to international
conferences and lectures attracting resource persons from across the
globe.
“Eighty per cent of our academic members of staff have at
least Masters degrees while we have also strengthened our student
support programme with 41 indigent but brilliant students benefitting
from the programme since 2013”, she said.
She commended the
university Senate and the two management teams during her tenure for the
complementary role they played, saying that she would be leaving the
institution better than she met it.
Three eminent Nigerians,
including Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly
Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang; an industrialist, Mrs. Folurunsho
Alakija and a music maestro, Chief Uko Akpan Umana, bagged honorary
doctorate degree in Law, Humanities and Music respectively.
The
occasion also witnessed the installation of Alhaji Abubakar Maje, the
Emir of Hadejia and chairman, Jigawa State Council of Chiefs, as the
university’s Fourth Chancellor.
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