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…as institution graduates 169
Nigerian university under- graduates must receive extra training in character devel- opment, entrepreneurial and digital skills, says Professor Rotimi Isaac Ajayi, vice chan- cellor of Wellspring University, Benin City Edo State.
Professor Ajayi, speaking in the build up to the 12th convo- cation ceremony of Wellspring University which held in Benin City, the Edo State capital last Friday, said without this special effort on the part of Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions, their graduates would be largely redundant, stuck on the job queues and un- able to effectively uplift themselves and the nation’s economy.
Ajayi said Wellspring University has long been en- trenched in this philosophy and has consequently found that its graduates have a greater understanding of the issues of life which they have to deal with in larger society.
Along these lines, the vice chancellor said: “All our ac- ademic programmes are ac- credited. All students undergo compulsory exposure to ICT skills so as to be citizens of the present cyberworld. We empower graduates with job creating skills and entrepreneurial training in special graduate finishing programmes and an appreciable number of our alumni have become successful entrepreneurs”
Wellspring University, which was recently rated third among the second generation private universities in Nigeria, accord- ing to the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) We- bometric Ranking, on Friday, graduated 169 candidates.
Sixty-nine of these graduated with first degrees and 100 with postgraduate diplomas and master’s degrees.
The statistics of the first degree graduands shows that four (6%) graduands made First Class, 30 (44%) made Second Class, Upper Division, 27 (39%) made Second Class Lower Division while eight (11%) were in other categories. In the postgraduate category, 45 graduated with postgraduate Diplomas, 25 with Master of Business Administration and 30 with Master of Science degrees in various disciplines.
“Having passed through the
most stringent academic standards and evaluations, these individuals have been found most worthy both in character and in their several disciplines to be the holders of the certificates of this institution, attesting to their various levels of degrees”, Professor Ajayi said.
“One significant event that is included is this year’s convoca- tion activities is the induction of our graduates in computer science, software engineer- ing and cybersecurity into the Computer Professionals Reg- istration Council of Nigeria before their graduation”, Ajayi added.
In his presentation at the occasion, the Chancellor of the university, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo said the insititution was aiming even higher and: ”The vision will focus on strengthening our academic programmes, enhancing quality of our faculty and ensuring that our graduated are prepared to face the challenges of the real world.
“We are shifting the emphasis from traditional exams to a broader approach that prioritises practical knowledge, skills and experiences that will serve out students well beyond grad- uation.”
He added: “The world of education is rapidly evolving and we must stay aligned with global trends. Today’s challenges such as climate change, sustainability, migration and public health demand a new approach to learning. Collaboration, flexibility, technology and social-emotional skills are now critical elements in education”.
The convocation lecture titled “Positioning for global competitiveness and greater societal impact”, was delivered by Doctor Uyi Akpata, chair- man of RUSA Advisory.
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