By Akinnodi Francis, Ondo
The Ondo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, has described the Adeyemi Federal University of Education (AFUED), Ondo, as one of the top rated tertiary institution in Nigeria.
Prof. Ajibefun made the statement while receiving the management of AFUED, led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bayode Popoola who paid a courtesy visit to his office in Akure.
The commissioner lauded the University for its contributions to the development of education in the state and the country.
He said “Adeyemi University of Education has been doing very well. In fact, it has been doing a degree programme for years in collaboration with OAU, but now it is standing, as an independent university and not under any university. It is a good thing and I am happy for that development”.
Speaking on possible collaboration with the University in the area of advancing education development in the state, Prof. Ajibefun said, “We are Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, while you are University of Education, so we have the same vision, hence, we have to partner and work together.
“The main objective is to get high quality manpower and we are happy to note that your graduates are doing well.
“We have several programmes through which we can partner, the platform is there, we are going to work it out, for example, we have teachers all over the state, we have to train and retrain them, definitely, as a University of Education, you are very relevant.
“We also have our students everywhere that we are training, we will see how your input can help us to improve the standard and the quality, your demonstration schools are very important in this regard.
“The partnership has started, and we are going to work out the modalities and several other things, definitely, the partnership will lead to increase in revenue, development and upgrading of your facilities”, Prof. Ajibefun said.
Earlier in his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor, AFUED, Prof. Bayode Popoola, expressed appreciation to the State Government and Prof. Ajibefun for their contributions to the development of the University.
Reiterating the commitment of the institution to advancement of education in the state, and the Nigerian nation, the University administrator said the institution would continue to live up to expectation in spite of “number of challenges that come with the new status that we have.”
He enumerated the challenges to include upgrade of facilities and its renovation, construction of additional classrooms, lecture theatres, Laboratories and Information Communication Technology (ICT).
Prof Popoola said, “We need some assistance in the aspect of students accommodation, and welfare facilities, as well as upgrading capacity of our staff in conducting research and carrying out their teaching assignment.”
Speaking on the University’s demonstration schools located in Ondo and Akure, he said, “we have good reputation in the state, now that we have a demonstration school,that is well subscribed to by parents.
“We have one in Akure, and one in Ondo town, our plan as management is to extend this to every local government in Ondo State and we need the assistance of the Honourable Commissioner in that area.”