Vice Chancellor of Bells University, Professor Jeremiah Oludele Ojediran

By Adejoke Adeleye, Abeokuta

Prof Jeremiah Oludele Ojediran, the Vice Chancellor of the Bells University, Ota Ogun State, said that it was because polytechnics have lost their mandates that led to the establishment of universities of technology in the country. He said this during press conference organised by the university to ursher in the 9th Convocation ceremonies.

He said,”If I am to take you down memory lane; the Polytechnic education has lost its mandate Yes, I know what I am saying at least I was a polytechnic lecturer for twelve years before joining the university system in 1992. “They are supposed to produce middle class manpower for the country but instead they are also struggling to write papers and be viewed like the universities. As an escape root, the government came up with the university of technology,where the students are trained to use their hands practically and effectively.

“That was why SIWES among other programmes was introduced, here the students are sent out to match the industry with academics and you will discover that they become more intelligent when they return, in fact they contest everything you teach them in class because they have had some experience.

The Vice chancellor however appealed to the government to come to the aid of private universities in the country, saying TETFUND is not made for government owned institutions alone.

We have beeen calling for the help of the government for a while now and have even said it that the government should appreciate those assisting them. I think the earlier thinking is that private institutions are established for profit, but now they have realised that even the money realised is not enough to even run the institution.

The needs are beyond what the government was looking at. We have even taken our plea to the senate and we believe the press can help us further raise our voice.

The government really needs to allocate grants to the university system. When you travel out of the country, you will notice that their industries there will give grants to universities for them to solve research problems in the country. We have been begging them not to allow our thesis to be wasted and we have decided to go to them now if they are not ready to come to us.

A total of 57 post graduates and 384 post graduates, 37 students finished with first class upper and 128 with second class upper,while Stephen Chika Juan bagged with 4.97 as best overall.

There were Award of Honourary Degree,Award of Higher Degree,Admission to first Degree and Presentation of Prizes to Chief Innocent Chukwuma (Innoson motor) doctor of Technology among other 451 post graduates and undergraduate.

The VC also appreciated Gov Ganduje of Kano State for sponsoring 200 students and among them 69 students would be graduating.