The chancellor and chairman of the Board of Regents, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Bishop David Oyedepo, has approved free tuition for all agricultural programmes in the university beginning from the 2018/2019 academic session.
This was contained in a special announcement made by the vice-chancellor, Professor Adeniyi Olayanju, towards the 7th Founder’s Day Celebration at the University General Friday Faculty Fellowship last Friday.
He, however, stated that the students are still expected to pay other components of the school fees through the payer-friendly mode of payment in two instalments.
Professor Olayanju appreciated the chancellor and the entire members of the Board of Regents for this magnanimity.
The agricultural programmes are Crop Science, Animal Science, Agricultural Extension and Rural Development; Agricultural Economics; Agribusiness Management, and Environmental & Natural Resources Economics.
Others are Aquaculture & Fisheries Management; Tourism and Recreation; Horticulture and Landscape Management; and Agricultural Engineering.
The vice-chancellor said that the gesture did not only validate the abiding support of the visioner and chancellor, Dr Oyedepo, towards attracting youths to sustainable agriculture and its value chain, but also the actualisation of the vision of the university as an institution borne out of a passion for change from unsatisfactory status quo and uncomplimentary identity of Africa to unprecedented transformation of the black race in the scheme of development across the globe.
“We, therefore, crave to see this change take place in our land and in our time. We are committed to making agriculture a more attractive and profitable venture,” he added.
Professor Olayanju decried the low involvement of youths in agriculture, which he said was as a result of the drudgery associated with the practice of agriculture.
He noted that agricultural practice is still populated by the aged, especially women and that any profession that suffers dearth of apprenticeship is on the verge of extinction; hence there cannot be a better time to attract and inspire youths to demonstrate youthfulness and usefulness by getting actively involved in agriculture and its value chain for the sake of posterity and prosperity of our nation and Africa at large.
Olayanju said further: “In line with our vision to restore the dignity of the black race, Landmark University has a cluster of other established programmes in science, engineering and management as well as relevant facilities in readiness for the training of interested admission seekers into these programmes starting from the next admission exercise.
“However, it is the custom in the Landmark University context for all students to be agriculture-oriented irrespective of their field of study.
“All students acquire additional skills and certificates upon graduation with a view to breaking new grounds in providing solutions to the world’s agricultural needs.”
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