- Prof. Obiora Nwosu, Acting Vice-Chancellor (VC), Paul University, Awka. Anambra, has lamented poor funding, acute shortage of classrooms, Lecture Theatres, Laboratories, offices and students’ hostels, bedeviling the institution.
Nwosu also noted that the university does not have a healthy learning environment.
The VC made his lamentations at the weekend during the 4th convocation ceremony of the university.
“There is just one hostel each for the Male and Female students, each accommodating only 400 students.
“Let the Church, groups or individuals come to our aid, build, operate and so long as they will give the university a good percentage as its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“It is only the Faculty of Law that has a dedicated Faculty Building. The six other Faculties are sharing the few buildings available,” he said.
He disclosed that the management of the university is planning to build a shopping complex in front of the University as a way of earning funds to run the school.
“Let interested groups or individuals come and build, operate and recover the cost of building or sign an agreement with the university.”
Nwosu urged parents to enroll their children in the institution because of stability in its academic calendar since strike actions are not entertained in the school.
“If your child enrolls for a four-year course, it will certainly be fours years, therefore I advise parents to enroll their wards into this university,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the university, Mr Chris Okoye, appealed to “our award recipients, who are distinguished personalities in their own right, to be Ambassadors of Goodwill for Paul University.
The founder of Paul University, Awka, late Archbishop Maxwell Samuel Chukwunweike Anikwenwa, will receive a posthumous award for his labour of love.
To the graduands, Okoye charged “As you receive your degrees and/or diplomas after several years of toil and sweat! With a great sense of pride, I congratulate you all and urge you to realise that a university environment is quite different from the one you will encounter outside.
“The former is protective, the latter could be hostile; I urge you not to forget the well-structured and rigorous programmes you have gone through here to prepare you for the tomorrow you are going into.
He said in this age of rapid technology and socio-economic changes, Kaizen can lead to dramatic improvement in curriculum design, teaching methodologies, research output and administrative process and responsive action to students’ needs.
He said “we must recognise that creating the Nigeria we need is not a sprint but a marathon that demands perseverance, dedication and a collective resolve that truly shapes the future of the nation.
