FCE Oyo matriculates 1,978 students, awaits FG’s approval to upgrade to degree awarding institution

On Tuesday,  the principal officers and senior staff of  Federal College of Education, Special Oyo, led by the Deputy Provost of the institution, Mrs Moriamo Abimbola,  assembled at Oba Adeyemi Hall in the college for the  45th  matriculation of the institution where about 1,978 students took the matriculation oaths of the college for the 2021/2022 academic session. 

 Addressing the matriculating students at the occasion, the Deputy Provost, Mrs  Abimbola, who represented the Provost of the college, Professor Kamoru Usman  declared that though,  education  is basically  for the training  of the mind, without discipline  being inculcated into the programme it will not be  complete

 She charged the newly admitted students to exhibit a high sense of discipline for them to be counted worthy in learning and character at the end of their academic programmes in the college. 

 She warned them against any forms of anti-social activities on the campus, stating that the college condemned cohabitation and insubordination to college authorities.

 She said: “This college is endowed with 21st-century Information   Communication  Technology (ICT)  geared towards  e-learning and e- administration activities on the campus. I want to assure you that the college will continue to provide a conducive learning environment for students’ peaceful stay on campus. 

“This institution is the first of its kind in the sub- Sahara Africa and the Federal Government is doing a lot to ensure that the college is conducive for teaching and learning to achieve its mandate. We are fully prepared in terms of teaching and research facilities and human resources to be the first  University of Special Education not only in Nigeria but in the sub- Sahara. We are only waiting for the approval and pronouncement of the Federal Government to kick start as a full-fledged university of Special  Education in the country. 

 Speaking in the same vein, the Director of Academic Planning of the college, Dr Mrs Mopelola  Akin-Taylor confirmed the high quality of teaching and research facilities in the college.

“I made bold to say that just a few universities in the country can boast of only half of our facilities,  especially in the areas of special education programmes.  If the college is upgraded to a degree-awarding university in Special Education, the development would go a long way to attract international students from different parts of Africa. 

 Similarly, one of the chief lecturers in the college Abdu Jafar Akinloye Afolabi confirmed the infrastructural development ongoing in the college to compete with its peers oversea. 

 According to him, the college is blessed with visionary leaders headed by Professor Kamoru Usman whose interest has been to transform the college to greater heights. 

“ Though the college runs degree programmes in affiliation with some universities in the country, the college is awaiting its autonomy status as a degree-awarding institution in the country. I am glad to inform the general public that 80 per cent of academic staff in the college have doctorate degrees in their various specialisations. The college is located on landmass which will give room for expansion. Currently, the college student population is not less 7, 000.

 Dean, Student  Affairs of the college,  Adeyemi Ogundele asserted that the college is overdue to become a degree-awarding institution in the country because of its area of specialisation in special education.   

According to him,   70 per cent of teachers for children with special needs in Nigeria graduated from our college. “So, if the college is upgraded to a degree-awarding university,   it will give many  NCE holders in special education in the country the opportunity to run their degree programmes in special education. This is because only very few universities in Nigeria run degree programmes in the special education areas,’’ he said.