Funmi Ogundare
The Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical) Akoka, Lagos, Dr. Wahab Ademola, has expressed concern over the decreasing number of candidates seeking admission into its affiliate degree programmes.
He stressed the need to encourage more candidates to enrol in teacher education and for colleges of education and universities that offer education courses to increase students’ quota to train more teachers to fill existing vacancies.
Ademola said this recently at the 2022/2023 matriculation ceremony for 249 students admitted by the college for degree programmes in affiliation with the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
The students were from the Department of Vocational and Technical Education, the Department of Curricular and Instructional Technology, and Educational Foundation.
He congratulated the freshmen while assuring them of quality learning as the college and the university boast of focused and committed lecturers.
“As bonafide students, you are to reciprocate the same by making judicious use of the faculty and learning infrastructure available at the college,” he stated. “This is a pathway to your academic excellence and development. Our academic and non-teaching staff are well qualified. You will derive maximum benefits from the various courses and programmes as religiously taught by our academic staff.”
In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prof. Lillian Salami, admonished the new students to be good ambassadors of the institution and their families, saying the acronym ‘UNIBEST’ was bagged as a result of its reputation for always being the best at everything.
Salami implored them to be determined, diligent and resilient in acquiring various academic endeavours as the primary aim of coming to school.
She admonished the freshmen to work assiduously towards achieving their dreams and set goals.
“Having left the watchful eyes of your parents and guardians to live a life of your own which I am sure many of you are doing for the first time, some of you are likely going to be courting trouble with a feeling of being free and act in ways that may undermine the rules and regulations that guide against the breakdown of law and order,” the VC explained. “You must learn to abide by these rules, just as I encourage you all to be good ambassadors of your families and the Institution.”
She also implored them to be determined, diligent and resilient in acquiring various academic endeavours in the school, adding that obedience to its rules and regulations is mandatory.
“The university authority has zero tolerance for any nefarious act and is ready at all times to apply appropriate sanctions against offenders,” the UNIBEN VC stressed. “I encourage you all to be decent and shun vices like cultism and drug abuse.”
