By Josephine Oguntoyinbo
The Vice Chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, has identified policies, steadfastness and commitment as some of the qualities that have made the institution the best State University in Nigeria.
The VC who said this when he received members of the Ondo State House of Assembly Committee on Tertiary Institution in his office revealed that plans are on top gear to add faculties of computing and information science, and engineering to the existing eight faculties, while school of nursing and shcool of medical laboratory technology are in pipeline.
“We have gone further to improve on our feasibility in terms of faculty, now we have new faculties and recently we have opened up Business School along Ilesa road in Akure and appointed Principal officers, by December this year, lectures will start there, he said”.
The VC said since the school came onboard, it has focused on the reasons it was established, which are teaching, learning, research, community service and entrepreneurship, making it one of the best in the country.
Prof. Ige appreciated Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu whose passion has helped to improve the education sector in the State, particularly the university, noting that all the programmes of the institution are fully accredited by the NUC.
On students intake, he said the school is one of the most sought for in Nigeria, being the best state university around, with candidates admitted on merit.
According to him, the academic calendar has been stable as approved by the Senate so that when students comes in, they should know when to leave the university, while the students have been very disciplined, happy and doing well.
The don, added that the welfare of members of staff and students are top priority to the institution, stating that it has students’ support services not only for indigents students but to physically challenged ones to help them academically.
“We also put in place students work/ study scheme where minimum of 200 students are employed to work within the university system and we pay them 30 thousand naira each at the end of the semester”.
He informed that the school have signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Local Government Service Commission on its Staff training school, Ita -Ogbolu as well as the Public Training Institute, Ilara-mokin to help train members of staff for maximum productivity, including several MoU’s all over the country because of the believe they have in the school.
While assuring that the institution will continue to deliver on its mandate, especially in human capital development, the VC however, solicited the help of the committee to surmount its challenges, particularly in the area of raising its funding as the 2024 budget is being prepared.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Chris Ayebusiwa expressed appreciation to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and the management of the institution for raising the bar of the school.
He said the visit was to get a first-hand information about the institution and familiarise with the management, assuring that the House and the school will continue to be partners in progress.
Other members who spoke, commended the level of development and equally want the institution to increase its facilities and faculties as promised by the VC to further expand, assuring that the committee would support the school for overall development.
