WE 'LL BE ACCREDITED – KWASU VC

By NBF News



• One of the new laboratory structures in KWASU

The Vice Chancellor of the newly established Kwara State University (KWASU), Ilorin, Professor Abdur-Rasheed Na'ala, has expressed his confidence that 'the institution will scale through accreditation hurdles next year.'

The VC stated this while receiving members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by their National President, Mallam Muhammed Garba during their two-day projects inspection tour of the state.

He hinged his confidence on the calibre of lecturers and other support staff recruited for the university, saying 'that, coupled with the modern equipment made available by the state governor, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki' will earn the institute the accreditation.

While conducting the visitors round the expansive campus, the school's Registrar, Alhaji Abiodun Olayiwola noted that the institution was established by Bukola Saraki administration on December 17, 2009 with 28 programmes spread across six colleges.

He further noted that although 'we started with the National Universities Commission's required number of 550 students, right now we have 1,100 regular students on campus studying various courses.'

In addition to the regular students, the Registrar further disclosed that about 100 others are undergoing remedial courses either in preparation for their school certificate examinations or the Joint Matriculation Examination (JME).

Noting that accreditation for new universities is always in the third year of establishment, he expressed optimism that 'with Governor Saraki's commitment to education project in the state, the standard for accreditation will, in sha Allahu be met.'

Speaking, a student in the Department of Mathematics, James Odiko, an indigene of Enugu State who testified to the standard of lectures being received in the school, remarked that 'if things go on like this, the school and its products will go places.'

Another student, Miss Tejumola Lawal from Lagos State, reading Industrial Chemistry, expressed satisfaction about the standard of the laboratory equipment provided by the authority for the institution.

However, a student who did not want his name in print complained that the N180,000 tuition fees being charged students is on the high side and appealed to Governor Saraki to 'use his good offices to bring the fees down drastically to allow more students to have the opportunity to acquire university education.'

But a swift response during an interactive session with the visiting journalists, the State Education Commissioner, Alhaji Bolaji Abdullah expressed doubts as to whether there is any other state university in the country that is charging cheaper fees. He reminded the students and their guardians, rather jokingly that 'quality service does not come cheap,' before adding that the administration of Governor Saraki could review any policy that has direct bearing on the welfare of the good people of the state.