VC appeals to FG to initiate scholarship for private university students

THE vice chancellor of Lead City University, Professor Aderemi Adeyemo, has made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to initiate a scholarship scheme for students of private universities in Nigeria since private tertiary institutions are not benefitting from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).

Professor Adeyemo stated this in his remark during the second international conference of the Faculty of Basic Medical and Applied Sciences (FABSCON 2018), held at the International Conference centre, Lead City University, Ibadan, on Monday.

At the event, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, delivered a lecture entitled ‘Transformational Research Innovations/Approaches for National Health and Technological Advancement’.

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Professor Adewole, who was represented by a member of the governing council of the University of Ibadan, Professor Akinola Alada, said Nigeria needs to encourage the next generation, especially at a time when cost of medical technological industry worldwide is increasing.

According to him, students of public institutions are benefitting from the fund through infrastructural upgrade which TETFund had been providing for their schools. He, therefore, appealed to the government to extend such aid to the students in private schools through the scholarship scheme.

He said, “TETFUND was designed to favour public schools but what the proprietors of private institutions are asking for is not too much. If the fund cannot be extended to private schools, government can develop a scholarship scheme to help students who are in private universities in Nigeria.

“This will extend to them the same favour that students in public schools are enjoying from TETFund.

“At Lead City, we are collaborating with some corporate bodies and an international agency, HUAWEI, on training of our staff and further technical education for our students in China.”

In her address, the dean, Faculty of Basic Medical and Applied Sciences, Professor Mrs Olusola Ladokun, said the faculty is poised to fulfill its role as a transmitter of knowledge that extends the fruits of its creative research and development to all sectors of society.

She added: “Our nation is traversing a time of many transformations and we are meeting these changes during a time of global change. The world of basic medical and applied sciences is an exciting area in which to study and research, and we will continue to meet and bring inspired people together in forums like this to ensure our faculty remains at the cutting edge of national and global developments.

“This conference is organised to enable researchers showcase their research findings and, most importantly, to stimulate interactions between researchers and boost collaborations in the field of medical and applied sciences within and outside our institution.”