.Says private varsity students deserve NELFUND, TETFund benefits
Fidelis David in Akure
No fewer than 98 students of Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, will graduate with First Class honours as the institution prepares to graduate 836 students at its 16th convocation ceremony scheduled for October 31.
The graduating class comprises 786 undergraduate and 50 postgraduate students. Of the undergraduates, 423 earned Second Class Upper Division degrees, 229 obtained Second Class Lower Division, while 36 graduated with Third Class degrees.
The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Omolola Irinoye, disclosed the figures yesterday during a press briefing at the university’s Senate Chamber in Owo, where she outlined preparations for the convocation and defended the institution’s academic standards.
Nursing Science recorded the highest number of undergraduate graduates, with 191, followed by Computer Science (HIM) with 64, while Law and Medical Laboratory Science produced 61 graduates each. Accounting recorded 56 graduates, while Human Anatomy had 41.
The 50 postgraduate graduates comprise 25 Master of Science (M.Sc.) students, 22 students in doctoral or combined MPhil/Ph.D. programmes, and three Postgraduate Diploma (PGD) students. Accounting recorded the highest postgraduate enrolment, with 16, followed by Business Administration with 15 and Nursing Science with 10.
Responding to accusations that private universities award too many first class compared with public institutions, Irinoye said Achievers University had no reason to apologise for its students’ performance, insisting that the institution invested substantially in quality assurance and an enabling learning environment.
“We have 98 students with First Class. For private universities that believe in quality education and invest in giving quality education, to whom so much is given, so much is also expected,” she said.
The Vice Chancellor explained that the university maintained detailed records of students’ continuous assessments and other academic requirements, stressing that students who failed to meet the stipulated attendance threshold or complete their continuous assessment requirements were not permitted to sit examinations.
“In our university, if a student does not meet up with 70 per cent attendance of classes, we don’t do exams. If you do not fulfil all the continuous assessment requirements, you do not do exams. If you fail, you must do whatever you are expected to do to pass,” she said.
Irinoye said the university had established a well-funded quality assurance unit to monitor teaching and learning, with personnel assigned to observe classroom activities and assess lecturers’ compliance with academic standards. Heads of departments and level advisers were also expected to monitor students’ progress, while lecturers were required to submit course syllabuses for review before the commencement of each academic session.
She attributed the institution’s growing patronage to its investment in teaching facilities, electricity, staff development and technology, as well as confidence built among parents and guardians through the performance of their children. She added that the university had developed an artificial intelligence policy for implementation in the current academic session and was training staff and students to adapt to emerging technologies.
The Vice Chancellor called on the federal government to extend student financing and research support opportunities to qualified students and institutions in the private university system, arguing that access to public support should not be determined solely by institutional ownership. “Our students are not benefiting from NELFUND. We don’t benefit from TETFund,” she said, advocating equitable access to educational support.
She also said the university had sustained scholarship schemes and flexible payment arrangements since its establishment in 2007 to support students from less-privileged backgrounds. On medical training, she disclosed that the institution was developing its own teaching hospital but would continue collaborating with the Federal Medical Centre and other clinical facilities to provide students with practical experience and access to specialists.
She stressed that the convocation activities will begin on Saturday, October 24, with the maiden White Coat Ceremony for 91 medical students. Other events include the induction of graduate engineers on October 26, Public Health graduates on October 27, Medical Laboratory Science graduates on October 28 and graduate nurses on October 29.
“The convocation lecture, scheduled for October 30, will be delivered by the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, while the award of degrees, presentation of prizes and conferment of honorary doctoral awards on three eminent Nigerians will take place on October 31. The ceremonies will conclude with a thanksgiving service on November 1.”