…as 190 students take matriculation oath
The Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State has approved a N50million research grant for its Post-graduate school to fast track development in tandem with its vision and mission to become institution of first choice recognized for providing critical opportunities for students’ success.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina said this during matriculation ceremony of 190 students of the university’s Post-graduate school.
This is contained in a statement issued in Ekiti State by the university Public Relations Officer, Mr. Foluso Ogunmodede.
According to the statement, the Vice-Chancellor said the university’s mission of making the institution the first choice recognized for providing critical opportunities for students’ success was on track as he would not rest on its horns until the vision and mission of founding fathers were realised and achieved in his tenure.
While expressing joy and satisfaction at an outstanding international success recorded by a graduate of the university, who got an Oxford University fully funded scholarship for a Master’s Degree, Fasina insisted that he would not rest on his oars until the university was ranked as the Nigeria’s first choice and recognised as a primary and engaged regional and global resource for entrepreneurial educational and best practices in mining and farming technology.
Fasina said: I was challenged when a graduate from here got an Oxford University fully funded scholarship for a Master’s degree programme in the UK. “And we want to replicate such here in this University. So, we are funding research endeavours in our post-graduate school with a Senate approved fund of #50 million.
“There are new courses that have been newly accredited and they will soon be brought on board. A befitting PG building will also be put in place next year. FUOYE is fast growing and it is the first out of the 11 Universities established by the Federal Government in 2011, we are graduating the first set of graduands during our forthcoming Convocation from December 13 to 19, 2021.”
Besides, Fasina and the Dean, FUOYE ‘s School of Post Graduate Studies (SPGS), Prof. Rapheal Ajayi Omolehin, offered tips on how graduate students pursuing certifications in PGD, Masters, Mphil/PhD, and PhDs, would graduate in record time.
Fasina in his address where no fewer than 190 students took their matriculation oath, said the university derived no joy in making graduate students spend beyond the record time.
While addressing the newly admitted PG students after their matriculation oath-taking, the VC said, “we are not interested in delaying any student. We are not perfect but we are on the right track
I was the first to produce a PhD graduate of this institution.
” We ensure that you graduate in record time. We will track you and encourage you to complete your programme in record time.
“It is expected of you to have good attitude and display good character. Always deavour to be in touch with your supervisors.
We are bringing some professors to the SPGS to allow us have an international touch.
” Do not join the bandwagon of the majority to circulate damaging news about the University.”
He was echoed by the Dean of FUOYE’s Post graduate Studies, Prof. Omolehin, who said “we are adding two faculties to the post graduate programmes. One of which is the faculty of social sciences. They are just producing their first undergraduate graduating students.
“So, those programmes are now eligible to enlist into post graduate programmes.
“Through the incorporation of those programmes, we will increase our students’ enrolment and not just that alone, we will also ensure that the standard of post graduate training is improved upon.
I advise them to be good researchers.
“From experience, we have found out that a lot of them are coming from a background where they have not been properly grounded based on the undergraduate programmes.
“It is one thing to write your course work and pass the exams with good grades but If you are fundamentally deficient in research capability you are going to remain there and be unable to graduate for many years.
“So, l advise the new PG matriculants to try as much as possible to aspire to be good researchers.
“When you are good researchers you will be able to move on well with your PG programmes without any delay in finishing up your thesis and dissertations. And one way of doing that is to work closely with their supervisors and also work with their colleagues who they think are a little bit better than they are.
If they are able to do that, definitely, the question of finishing late would not arise.”
However, commenting on a threat recently issued by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) for another strike to press home their demands, Fasina advised the Federal Government to have a peaceful dialogue with ASU to avert a fresh round of industrial action.
He said: “The government and ASUU will work it out and make sure we do not have the strike.
“The best thing that can happen to this country’s education sector, especially tertiary institutions is for both parties to ensure that the strike is averted in the interest of the students and education as a whole.”
Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor has charged the postgraduate students irrespective of their age to be focused with a view to making good grades in their course works.
He assured them that no lecturer or supervisor would delay their programme
“To the matriculating students, I want to encourage them to be focused, do their course work as at when due, proceed to their fieldwork in good time, aim for excellence and I am sure that they will achieve it, ” he said.
A total number of 190 postgraduate students participated in the matriculation oath-taking ceremony in the Oye campus of the university.
