In order to restore public confidence in tertiary education system, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has charged state-owned universities to ensure a stable and predictable academic calendar.
Receiving senior management of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti (BOUESTI), led by its new Vice Chancellor, Prof. Andrew Omojola, at the at the Governor’s Office, in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, the governor said that that is a critical step towards improving the quality of education.
He lamented that frequent disruptions to academic activities undermine students’ learning outcome and place a burden on them, their parents and guardians.
The governor noted that a stable academic calendar would not only enhance academic excellence but also make the institution more attractive to prospective students, researchers, and development partners, adding that education remains central to his administration’s development agenda.
He urged university managements, staff, unions leaders and governing council to strengthen dialogue and embrace proactive conflict resolution mechanism to prevent avoidable strikes and prolonged closures that negatively affect students.
Oyebanji, however, acknowledged BOUESTI’s rising profile as one of the fastest growing state owned universities in the country, a feat he attributed to the institution’s stable academic calendar, which, according to him, has made it attractive to students and parents.
Congratulating Omojola on his appointment as the second substantive Vice-Chancellor of the university, the governor urged him to build on the success of his predecessor in office, Prof. Olufemi Adeoluwa, especially in sustaining the stable academic calendar for which the school is well respected.
Saying that the Vice-Chancellor’s appointment was strictly on merit, Oyebanji expressed confidence in his capacity to consolidate on the existing achievements and further strengthen academic excellence, institutional ability and global competitiveness.
He said that his administration would continue to invest in infrastructure, staff welfare and institutional reforms that would make the institution globally competitive and comparable with the world’s best universities.
‘I am so much happy with what is happening in BOUESTI, I am very proud of the achievements that have been recorded so far.
‘Let me use this opportunity to express my gratitude to other management staff for your corporation and understanding and to the unions and students for being responsible, at least we have managed to have a peaceful atmosphere in the University and one thing that is responsible for your growth is because you have a stable academic calendar. Students know that when they come to BOUESTI, they will spend four years for a four-year course, and five years for a five-year course, that is why they are rushing to the institution. So, whatever it is going to cost you please make sure that tradition remains unbroken’, Oyebanji said.
Earlier, Omojola expressed profound appreciation to the governor for his appointment. Noting that the university’s achievements were largely due to the huge support, visionary leadership and genuine commitment of the Governor toward the development of education in the state.
Highlighting his agenda for the university, Omojola, who said that he met the governor for the first time a few days after his appointment was announced, said that his vision is to ensure that BOUESTI is ranked among the top 10 universities in the country, ranked among the top 100 in Africa, and listed among the top 1,000 universities globally. These, he said would be achieved through sustained academic excellence, research innovation and institutional stability.
Also at the meeting were the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro; Chief of Staff, Mr. Niyi Adebayo; Commissioner for Education, Dr. Olabimpe Aderiye; Special Adviser on Tertiary Education, Prof. Akeem Azeez; and the Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, among others.
