By Onuminya Innocent In Sokoto
In a combined ceremony, Sokoto State University matriculated 2,902 students Wednesday .
The students from different faculties and department took their oath of allegiance as students of the university with a charge to shun social vices such as examination malpractice, cultism and other act inimical to their study.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Bashir Garba, said the matriculated numbers represent the 2020/2021 and 2022/2023 academic session combined together.
“The admission process for the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic session has just been completed and is indeed the reason why we are here today.
“For the 2021/2022 academic session, the University received a total of 3,579 undergraduates applications out of which 1,789 candidates gained admission into their prospective programmes of interest.
“While for the 2022/2023 academic session, a total of 6,480 candidates applied for admission but only 2,626 secured admission for the various degree programmes of the University.
“This brings the total admitted candidates for the two academic sessions to 4,415 students out of which only 2,902 students registered for the combined academic session”.
He disclosed that the school combined the two academic sessions programme due to the eight months nationwide strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
While congratulating the newly matriculated students of the school for being so lucky to have been admitted into the school, the Vice Chancellor charged them to face their studies squarely so as not to lose the golden opportunity of acquiring university education.
He however appealed to the state government to consider paying the visiting and sabbatical lecturers as and when due . He said the school so much relied on the support of this category of lecturers, most especially for the Post-Graduate programmes.
He said the visiting and sabbatical lecturers had outstanding salaries which needed to be paid as many of them came from far places and needed the salary to support their journey.
Other speakers at the matriculation ceremony, including commissioner for higher education, Professor Aisha Madawaki; chairman of the governing council, Engineer Bello Suleiman and House committee chairman on higher education, Suleiman Romo all charged the matriculating students not to lose focus.
