Tech-U VC warns students against cultism, exam malpractice

The vice chancellor of the First Technical University, Ibadan, Oyo State, Professor Ayobami Salami, says the university believes in best practices, and its students must operate along that line.

He told new students being matriculated for the 2019/2020 academic session recently that there is no room for absenteeism, truancy, cultism, internet fraud, examination malpractice or other vices in the institution.

“The university is founded on knowledge, practice, talent and character; so we do not allow anyone to smear our reputation,” he said.

Professor Salami spoke at length about the comparative advantage Tech-U has over universities of technology and other conventional institutions, including, according to him, its “rich emphasis on employment-preparation skills.”

He said with attachments, apprenticeships and internships, there is an assurance of competence and better preparedness in Tech-U students.

“With the efficient usage of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education and TVET to secure a better future for Nigerian youths, Tech-U seeks to midwife the country’s economic development through the provision of market-ready graduates.

“And just two years after the commencement of academic activities, the First Technical University is already grooming innovators and job creators,” he noted.

He listed some of the achievements of the university to include: the signing of collaborative agreements with the Texas Technical University, US and Girne American University, Cyprus; hosting of the Hult Prize Pitch in Nigeria; producing a finalist in the International Breweries Kickstart Business Plan Competition, for which 17,000 people applied and producing the 2019 winner of the Miss Intellect Universe.

The matriculation event also witnessed the inauguration of eight Tech-Upreneur Ambassadors for the 2019/2020 academic session – those students who epitomize the vision of Tech-U through their passion for and innovativeness in entrepreneurship.

The eight students were: Francis Oyediran, Mechatronic Engineering 200L; Faruk Busari, Software Engineering 300L; Teslim Abdusalam, Petroleum Engineering 300L; Oluwafunmilayo Adekanye, Biomedical Engineering, 300L; Ruth Shalewa Ogunwole; Deborah Oluwabusayo Adepoju, Microbiology, 300L; Oyeronke Oyebisi, Industrial Chemistry, 300L and David Adebayo, Mechanical Engineering, 200L.

The eight ‘Tech-Upreneur Ambassadors’ will henceforth receive N10,000 every month, courtesy of Josephus Foundation.

A total of 36 outstanding students were also honoured as ‘Tech-U Scholars’. These were first class students who had been able to score a cumulative grade point average or 4.5 and above (on the scale of 5.0).

Professor Salami said they would also receive N10,000 every month courtesy of Josephus Foundation. However, the two best students for the session – Maryam Afonja 300 Level and Amos Olaleye 200 Level with a perfect CGPA score of 5.0 – will both receive N15,000 every month effective from January, 2020.