From Moses Mbaiorga, Gboko
The Vice Chancellor, University of Mkar, Mkar, Prof. Zacharys Gundu has revealed the institution’s resolve to introduce new courses to accommodate more students and serve the society better.
Prof Gundu made the revelation at the 12th-15th combined convocation ceremony held at the school’s convocation arena recently.
According to him, the proposed courses to be added include: college of Health Sciences, College of Law, Christian Classical Education as well as Tiv language among others.
He said the university council had already given a go-ahead for the courses and arrangements towards achieving the plan in no distance future were in top gear.
“…we have with the support of Council started concerted efforts to establish a College of Health Sciences and a College of Law…, We have a subsisting relationship with Rafiki International Foundation and are closely working with them to mount a degree programme in Christian Classical Education…, UMM will be the first and only Nigerian University offering a degree in CCE…” Professor Gundu stressed.
He hinted that NKST, Mkar Hospital will metamorphose into the UMM Teaching Hospital, noting however that, the above courses, if put in place, will add more value to the university.
Professor Gundu, who called on the management of Tertiary Edu
cation Trust Fund, TETfund, to extend its intervention to private universities opined that, public and private universities are rendering same services to the society, as such, the intervention should be contested for by both, where the most merit institution will be considered as against the hitherto practice.
“A time is ripe now for TETfund intervention to extend to private universities because of the immense contribution of private investment in university education in the country. Instead of merely allocating huge resources to public universities, TETfund resources should be competed for by all universities; public and private…”
In his reaction on behalf of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Ahmed Saba promised to convey the VC’s message on TETfund projects appropriately with a view to come out with a motion that would help repeal the law that established TETfund so as to accommodate private universities too.
In their separate addresses, the NKST President, Rev. Dominic Anza; UMM Chancellor, Sen. Barnabas Gemade and the UMM Board of Trustees’ President, Cdre. J.I. Afeah (Rtd), all expressed happiness for a continued growth of the institution.
They appreciated the NKST Synod, the university management and staff; the past Benue State tate governors, parents and guardians as well as other critical stakeholders for their various contributions and asked for more support to tackle the numerous challenges bedeviling the university and reposition it on a global map.
Hon. Asema Achado while responding on behalf of the honourees, attested to the rapid growth of the institution and expressed gratitude for the honour done them.
Meanwhile, 909 grandaunts were conferred with Bachelor’s Degrees; 143 with Masters Degree and scores were conferred with post graduate diploma; while four other Nigerians, namely: of Prof Toyin Falola, Hon. Asema Achado, Mr. Terna Hemba and Princess Roseline Osula Mku-Atu, were conferred with honorary doctorate degrees, respectively.
