Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has charged state-owned universities to ensure a stable and predictable academic calendar as a critical step towards improving the quality of education and restoring public confidence in tertiary education system in the state.
Governor Oyebanji gave the charge on Monday when he received the senior management of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti (BOUESTI), led by the newly appointed Vice Chancellor, Professor Andrew Babatunde Omojola, at the Governor’s office, Ado -Ekiti. He said frequent disruption to academic activities usually undermine students’ learning outcome and place unnecessary burden on them as well as their parents and guardians.
The Governor noted that a stable academic calendar would not only enhance academic excellence but also make the Institution more attractive to prospective students, researchers, and development partners, adding that education remains central to his administration’s development agenda.
He urged university managements, staff, unions leaders and governing council to strengthen dialogue and embrace proactive conflict resolution mechanism to prevent avoidable strikes and prolonged closures that negatively affect students.
The Governor, however, acknowledged BOUESTI’s rising profile as one of the fastest growing state owned Universities in the country, a feat he attributed to the institution’s stable academic calendar, which, according to him, has made it attractive to students and parents.
Congratulating Prof Omojola on his appointment as the second substantive Vice-Chancellor of the University, Governor Oyebanji urged him to build on the success of his predecessor in office, Prof Adeoluwa, especially in sustaining the stable academic calendar for which the school is well respected.
The Governor, who noted that the Vice-Chancellor’s appointment was strictly on merit, expressed confidence in his capacity to consolidate on the existing achievements and further strengthen academic excellence, institutional ability and global competitiveness.
Oyebanji said his administration would continue to invest in infrastructure, staff welfare and institutional reforms that would make the institution globally competitive and comparable with the world’s best universities.
“I am so much happy with what is happening in BOUESTI, I am very proud of the achievements that have been recorded so far.
“Let me use this opportunity to express my gratitude to other management staff for your corporation and understanding and to the unions and students for being responsible, at least we have managed to have a peaceful atmosphere in the University and one thing that is responsible for your growth is because you have a stable academic calendar. Students know that when they come to BOUESTI, they will spend four years for a four-year course, and five years for a five-year course, that is why they are rushing to the institution. So, whatever it is going to cost you please make sure that tradition remains unbroken”, The Governor asserted.
Earlier in his remarks, the New Vice-Chancellor, Prof Andrew Babatunde Omojola expressed profound appreciation to the Governor for his appointment. Noting that the university’s achievements were largely due to the huge support, visionary leadership and genuine commitment of the Governor toward the development of education in the state.
Highlighting his agenda for the university, Prof Omojola, who said he met the Governor for the very first time some days after his appointment was announced, said his vision is to ensure BOUESTI is ranked among the top ten universities in the country, ranked among the top 100 in Africa, and listed among the top 1,000 universities globally. These, he said would be achieved through sustained academic excellence, research innovation and institutional stability.
Also at the meeting were, Secretary to the State Government, Prof Habibat Adubiaro, Chief of Staff, Mr Niyi Adebayo, Commissioner for Education, Dr (Mrs) Olabimpe Aderiye, Special Adviser, Tertiary Education, Prof Akeem Azeez; Special Adviser Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, among others
