AN ADDRESS BY THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, BENUE STATE UNIVERSITY, MAKURDI, PROFESSOR MSUGH MOSES KEMBE ON THE OCCASION OF THE 26TH MATRICULATION CEREMONY OF THE UNIVERSITY HELD ON FRIDAY, 8TH JUNE, 2018
Principal Officers of the University,
Deans and Directors,
Heads of Department,
Heads and Coordinators of Unit,
Distinguished Invited Guests and other Stakeholders of the University,
Distinguished Parents, Guardians and Relations of the Matriculating Students,
Distinguished Staff and Students of Benue State University,
Distinguished Matriculating Students,
Distinguished Gentlemen of the Press,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.
INTRODUCTION
I feel highly delighted and to the glory of God, welcome all of you to another history-making event, the 26th Matriculation Ceremony of our dear University, the Benue State University, Makurdi.
I am particularly grateful to the Almighty Godthat this occasion, the 3rd under my tenure as the 5th Vice-Chancellor of the University which could not hold earlier than now due to the over-stretched 2016/2017 academic session because of intervening factors is being realized today. We all owe our gratitude and thanksgiving to Him for the successful completion of the session.
MATRICULATION CEREMONY
Matriculation Ceremony marks the formal conferment of Student Status on freshers through administration of the Matriculation Oath. My dear matriculating students, today’s occasion is, therefore, a realization of your dream of becoming students of the University and this, no doubt, will ever remain indelible and greening your lives and that of your parents, guardians and relations. This is in line with the Vision and Mission of the University and also the bedrock of your transformation into great future leaders of our dear Nation.
At this ceremony 5,770 of you out of the 28,359 candidates who sat for the last Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination (UTME) as well as Direct Entry will be matriculated into the Faculties of Arts, Education, Environmental Sciences, Law, Management Sciences, Science, Social Sciences and College of Health Sciences of one of the best Universities in the Country.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
In our University, we not only ensure but insist on quality assurance in the minimum admission requirements and processes. For instance, whereas the current Joint Matriculation Board (JAMB)’s UTME cut-off mark for placement into undergraduate programmes of Nigerian Universities is 120 points, we have maintained ours at 180 points. For Ordinary National Diploma (OND), National Certificate in Education (NCE) and Interim Joint Matriculation Board Examination (IJMBE), we have maintained the minimum entry requirements into our undergraduate programmes at Upper Credit, 9 points and 7 points respectively. Similarly, our Post-UTME minimum scores for placement into these programmes are 30% for Science Courses, 40% for Arts, Education, Social Sciences, Management Sciences and Environmental Sciences Courses and 50% for Law and Medicine.
Let me state and affirm to this entire august assembly without mincing words that these minimum requirements have been applied strictly in the current admission and registration of our fresh students. Even with this position, we have to pick only 6,350 candidates in view of our admission quota given by JAMB out of the over 14,000 candidates that qualified for admission after the Post-UTME.You must therefore, consider yourselves indeed lucky and let me at this point, congratulate all of you on this giant feat and to also welcome you into the fold of my children, the 3rd set to be admitted and matriculated under my tenure.
CHARGE
My charge is as follows:
(i) To My Dear Fresh Students
The Matriculation Oath which you have just subscribed to is a covenant between you and the University. Here, we are not only committed to quality assurance, but also moulding you in character and learning - the basis for awarding degrees to deserving students here in Benue State University, Makurdi. Management places high premium on this and you are therefore, required to earn your grades and be of good behaviour.
Accordingly, I urge you to abide by the spirit of the Matriculation Oath, focus on your studies, set high standards for yourselves and aim at academic excellence. In this way, you will be responding to the efforts and gestures of the State Government, Management, your Parents and Guardians as well as appreciating the sacrifices in giving you world-class University education to be worthy future leaders of our Nation.
I equally urge you to patronize the University Ultra-Modern Library, the University Bookshop, the University Clinic and the Guidance and Counselling Centre/Unit which are put in place for your conducive academic work and healthy state.
I also implore you all to imbibe the culture of patience and dialogue which are central to resolving disputes in all civilized societies such as ours. Therefore, as you join the membership of your Student Union, play the game by the rules, following prescribed official channels of communication, avoiding unwarranted and ill-motivated protests, shunning all forms of violence and securing the University property especially hostels and lecture halls from vandalization.
You will do well by avoiding the temptation of using your school fees to buy sophisticated and costly phones as well as playing lottery games especially, the popular “BET9JA”. Certainly, you cannot afford to toy with your education and future.
The orientation exercise you have undergone must have adequately availed you of the dos and the don’ts of the University including the most prevalent vices on campus like examination malpractice/misconduct, cultism, improper dressing, drug abuse, homosexualism, lesbianism, alcoholism, prostitution, romantic engagements between students and staff among others.
Management has, however, been vigilant and has put in place security measures to check these vices which could render you social misfit(s) in the society. Let me therefore, state here that any of you who may be involved in the above vices including unwarranted and ill-motivated protests of any kind as well as falls below our minimum standards would have crossed the red line. Certainly, the riot act would apply which includes amongst other disciplinary measures, expulsion from the University.
On our part, Management is committed to giving you quality education withstandard facilities in place including an expanded, improved and functional ICT infrastructure that will make your studies here worthwhile in keeping with the Mission Statement of the University which is “To be a Centre of Excellence in creating knowledge and developing a complete person who is capable of not only responding to the cultural, social, political and economic needs of the environment but also setting the agenda for change”.
The University parades the best quality of academic staff that are comparable anywhere in the world and are ever ready to deliver their very best. To ensure that you get easy access to education at minimal cost, Management has banned the sale of handouts to students by lecturers.
(ii) To Parents, Guardians and Relations
The education of your wards cannot be too expensive and therefore, payment of their fees with all sense of responsibility, commitment and dedication be made a priority to enable the University train them better.
Perhaps, an analysis of the cost of training an undergraduate student per year as shown below will assist you appreciate the contributions of the State Government and the Management of the University in giving quality education to your children:
Discipline Teaching Cost Per
Student (N) Student Support
Cost (N) Total Cost Per
Student (N) Dollar
Equivalent ($)
Administration 87,954.77 102,600.00 190,554.74 1,296.29
Arts 97,160.02 102,600.00 199,760.00 1,358.91
Agriculture 236,174.51 102,600.00 361,574.51 2,459.69
Education 110,885.55 125,400.00 213,485.55 1,452.28
Engineering 107,996.73 102,600.00 233,396.73 1,587.73
Environmental
Sciences 244,808.36 125,400.00 370,208.36 2,586.45
Law 98,277.30 94,620.00 192,897.30 1,312.21
Medicine 338,604.82 139,080.00 477,684.82 3,249.56
Pharmacy 266,327.49 125,400.00 391,727.49 2,664.81
Sciences 150,037.41 114,000.00 264,037.41 1,796.17
Social Sciences 70,020.98 102,600.00 172,620.98 1,174.29
Vet. Medicine 466,282.86 136,800.00 603,082.85 4,102.60
Average 189,544.23 116,375.00 305,919.23 2,081.08
Source: National Universities Commission (2005)
If you therefore, put what you have paid for your children against the above figures (even though as far back as 2005) to be trained in these Faculties, then the impression of the University is into money-making would have been certainly misplaced. We call on you to rather partner with the State Government and the University Management in the onerous task of keeping the institution alive for the benefit of our children yet unborn.
Accordingly, I implore you to monitor as well as counsel your wards (both the freshers and the old) to imbibe moral behavioural attitudes that conform to best practices in modern society. This appeal has become necessary because of recent, we have witnessed unwarranted and ill-motivated protests by students on campus without recourse to due process. Management finds this development unacceptable and inexcusable and will, therefore, no longer condone it.
CHALLENGE
Distinguished Guests, Stakeholders of the University, Parents, Guardians, Relations, Ladies and Gentlemen, the biggest challenge of the University is funding and expansion of infrastructure, despite the sustained support of the Benue State Government. We therefore, at this juncture, wish to place on record the immense and sustained contributions of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Benue State and Visitor to the University, Samuel Ortom as well as other well-meaning Nigerians to the growth and development of the University. Let me therefore, appeal to you and other public spirited individuals to assist the University with the provision of classrooms, lecture theatres, offices and hostel accommodation.
It is worthy to inform you here that the Governing Council of the University led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Professor Zacharys Anger Gundu, embarked on advocacy and sensitization visits to the stakeholders of the University including a Stakeholders Forum held on Wednesday, 21st February, 2018 on these challenges where meaningful discussions were done and reasonable resolutions reached.
LOOKING AHEAD
At the end of my tenure, I would like to have:
• Repositioned the University as an Information and Communication Technology-driven centre of excellence impacting on the State and National development by producing ‘cutting-edge’ innovation and training manpower capable of competing anywhere in the world in line with the main policy thrust of my administration.
• Deployed all the available human and material resources at the disposal of the University to its growth and development as well as giving quality education to our children in line with the Mandate, Vision and Mission of the University.
CONCLUSION
Let me conclude my address by thanking all of you for finding time to grace this occasion and to once again, congratulate my dear fresh students and wish them a happy and memorable stay in Benue State University.
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Thank you and God bless you all.
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