Buhari Charges Lecturers to Focus More on Research
– President Muhammadu Buhari has harped on more intensity on research by institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.
– He says Nigerian universities are going through a transformation.
President Muhammadu Buhari has charged lecturers to put more intensity in research.
The President made the call at the 32nd Convocation Ceremony of the University of Port Harcourt.
He urged higher institutions to make concerted efforts towards achieving research breakthroughs to attract global funding as well as generating employment, wealth and prosperity for the people.
He added that in the present realities, research that cannot be capitalised by the industries for the good of the people is best described as a mere academic exercise.
He also reiterated his administration’s commitment to placing emphasis on equity, infrastructure, teacher training programmes, funding and plans to bring about the needed change in the education sector.
The representative of the president at the event, the Minister of State for Education, Anthony Anwuka, disclosed that the Federal Government has released funds to rejuvenate the tertiary education in Nigeria, adding that Nigeria’s education system is going through some transformation.
In his remark, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Ndowa Lale appealed to students to take charge of the new facilities provided by the federal government.
He also disclosed that the institution now has more power supply to facilitate learning.
The highlight of the ceremony was the commissioning of new lecture halls and thirty-two newly constructed housing scheme for the University’s lecturers.
According to Professor Lale, about 9452 graduands of the University received degrees in the University’s 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 convocation.
He also said out of the number, 106 students graduated with first class degree while 1755 students graduated with second class Upper Division, adding that 2520 obtained second class Lower Division.
He also revealed that 4,681 graduates received Higher Degrees from school of Graduate Studies from the two sessions, with 381 out of the number conferred with the Doctor of Philosophy Degree in various specialisations.
The Vice Chancellor also disclosed that 2971 graduands received Masters Degree while 1329 will receive the postgraduate Diploma.
