A total of 39 out of 230 students of Wesley University, Ondo, Ondo State, will be graduating with First Class as the institution holds its 13th convocation ceremony of the institution on Saturday for the 2023/2024 academic session.
The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Rt. Rev. Prof. Sunday Samuel Obeka, who disclosed this on Thursday during a reason conference to herald the convocation, said about ten per cent of the best-graduating students are deaf.
Obeka explained that the 230 students would graduate across the 45 undergraduate academic programs run in the university, saying the university runs an inclusive education system that accommodates all forms of students with disabilities.
He said, “I am glad to inform you that Wesley University is the only university across the country that embodies the inclusive education project.
“Out of 230 students graduating this year, the university took note of the deaf scholars who are graduating, and we saw that about 10 per cent of the best students are the deaf scholars of this university.
“About six deaf students graduated last year at the upper level, and we have eight graduates who are deaf this year, and we pray that more deaf students will be graduating in other fields as we continue.
“At Wesley University today, we have deaf students who specialise in any field of their choice. We have deaf students who study computer science.
“We have deaf students who are in the law faculty. We have deaf students in the social services, and we have deaf students in other programs.
“Six deaf students graduated last year at the upper level, and we have eight graduates who are deaf this year. And we pray that more deaf students will be graduating in other fields as we continue.
“Towards this end, Wesley University is collaborating with the Gallaudet University Washington, D.C., in the area of deaf education.”
According to the VC, Obeka said that the institution had a directorate of deaf and special needs education, which had empowered the deaf community and employed more deaf scholars.
He claimed that the university’s management had approved a program to educate all staff and students of the institution that would enable all to communicate with the deaf community of the school.
He said the institution was also collaborating with Cliff College for its theological education programme, saying, “Cliff College is one of the international colleges noted for theological programs.
“Wesley University today is one of the universities across the country that offers up to a Ph.D. in theology education programs,” he said.
He asked the government to support the medical colleges in private universities in terms of salary payment and provision of infrastructure in tackling the shortage of health workers in the country.
“The federal government should extend the hand of fellowship for supporting medical colleges for private universities, such as Wesley University, which now has the medical and allied courses, health sciences, the pharmacy, medicine and surgery, physiology, physiotherapy, health information management, human anatomy, and other programs.
“These programs, we believe, will address challenges of the health sector in the country if the government can help in salary payments and the provision of infrastructure,” he said.
Obeka stated that the institution had infrastructural facilities to make teaching and learning conducive for staff and students.
The VC noted that the institution was in a good working relationship with security agencies in the state with adequate information gathering in ensuring good security architecture in the university.
He said that erudite scholars, entrepreneurs, and other notable personalities across the country would be honoured during the convocation.
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