5,944 graduate in GSU combined convocation
By Ben Ngwakwe, Gombe
Gombe State University has given highest priority to admission of girl-child in order to close the wide gap in educational deficiency of girl-children in North-East sub-region.
The Vice-Chancellor of Gombe State University, Professor Aliyu El- Nafaty added that in terms of gender, the institution has been fair as they greatly minimised the disparity between men- women students enrolments, because they understand the challenges of the girls- child in the North East Sub- region”.
“In this convocation 40 per cent are female which had increased from 30 per cent over the years.We equally fathom the positive correlation between the girls education, gross national product and increase of life expectancy. Thus, rapid socio- economic development of a nation has a link with the calibre of women and their education,”
Speaking at the Combined Convocation ceremony on Saturday, in Gombe where the Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, former Secretary to Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, Professor Idris Mohammed, a former Chairman of Tertiary Education Trust Fund; Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, former Finance Minister; Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, former ECOMOG General Commander late Timothy Shelpidi, were conferred honorary degrees for their distinguished strides made in human endeavour most especially in the University and the country at large.
The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that a total of 5,944 graduands with 116 obtaining first class degrees, 28 distinction from non- classified degrees, 1,511 second class upper, while 3,326 had second class degrees lower and 801 third class degrees and 162 with pass were graduated.
El- Nafaty numerated the management’s achievements which include 40 undergraduates and 68 postgraduates with full accreditation by the National Universities Commission was granted to the institution.
He said the University had brought education to the doorsteps of 18,500 learners with eight faculties against the students population that was lesser than 1,600 as the initial intake in 2004 with only three faculties namely Arts and Social sciences, Education and Sciences.
Professor El-Nafaty said the University had expanded its academic spheres with addition of ( 13) undergraduates and (31) postgraduates slated to commerce full academic activities in the next academic session 2023/24.
” On the whole, Gombe State University has produced outstanding personalities and thoughtful scholars, administrators, doctors, etc in Nigeria and abroad. The graduates of this University are astute and wholly enigmatic,” he said.
He pointed out the challenges as economic recession, high inflation rates, increased demand for admission in the face of inadequate physical infrastructure despite the extraordinary successes made
Also, the Pro-Chancellor of the Institution, Senator Joshua Lidani implored Nigerians to intervene in education as the, “we are essence making a wise investment as no investment in education is a waste or too huge to bear.
” That is why we enjoin Nigerians to showcase their commitments and redeem education from total collapse.
“if we do not act swiftly by way of interventions, this University would be in a very bad situation, our challenges are multi- faceted, while some are conspicuous, others are subtle,” he said.
