26 bag first class as UniAbuja holds 24th convocation

The University of Abuja has said it will award first-class certificates to 26 graduands at its 24th convocation, which will take place on February 15.

Speaking at the pre-convocation briefing on Thursday in Abuja, the vice-chancellor of the university, Abdul-Rasheed Na’allah, said a total of 26 students would be awarded first-class degrees, 866 students have second class upper degrees, 2317 students would be awarded second class lower.

He also said 339 students will graduate with a third-class degree while 52 students would be awarded pass degrees.

According to the vice-chancellor, a total of 10,331 students, who have completed their course of studies and met all necessary requirements, will be graduating.

He said the institution had about 3000 of the graduates from its distance learning centres.

Mr Na’allah said the university will also confer honorary degrees on some individuals including the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, for his exemplary leadership.

Zero tolerance to indiscipline

Mr Na’allah said the institution has a zero-tolerance policy towards indiscipline whether from student or staff.

He said his administration was poised to making a difference in the institution by carrying out various programmes aimed at developing the students, the varsity and the nation in general.

While explaining some projects to be undertaken by the university, he said there are plans to turn the university into a tourist centre where the guests and tourists attracted to the institution would enable students have access and opportunities to research and learn.

He also said the study of foreign languages and entrepreneurship has been made compulsory for all students to make them globally competitive.

“The university has strategised, in many ways, to empower the students to solve the problems of Nigeria. It is now compulsory for our students to offer foreign languages – whether Arabic, French or any other one because we do not want them to operate only in Nigeria but globally.”

He said no student from the institution will graduate without having learnt a foreign language.

“Very soon we will start railway engineering. We want the vision of the federal government to be supported by our university in ways that our students can be termed not only engineers of railways but also innovators of the twenty-first-century railway system.”

The VC said the university is working on expanding its admission process to ensure that every state of the federation is represented in the institution.

Speaking on the suspension of the admission process, he said there were no irregularities in the institution’s admission process.

The vice-chancellor last year, established a Students’ Employment Scheme tailored towards engaging students who have distinguished themselves in their academic performance while studying in the university.

He said such students must have a requisite Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), to be employed.