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The Vice Chancellor (VC) of First Technical University (TECH-U), Ibadan, Professor Ayobami Salami, has explained the reasons parents should send their children to the institution.
Speaking on a weekly radio show, ‘Parrot Xtra/Ayekooto on Radio’, anchored by Olayinka Agboola and broadcast live on Splash 105.5FM, Felele, Ibadan, Salami said that the institution has created a conducive environment for its students in terms of learning, good infrastructural facilities, ICT embedded learning processes that can be compared to what is obtainable abroad.
According to the VC, the institution came on board as a game changer within the tertiary educational system, in order to reduce unemployment gap among university graduates and bridge the skill gap in the educational system of Nigeria.
He revealed that the institution is the only accredited university in Nigeria running Forensic Science, apart from the Nigeria Police College, Kano.
The VC further said that the institution was established to train graduates to become employer of labour, stressing that the school has over 30 academic programmes that have been accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
“I must appreciate the Oyo State Government for doing this for our children. Most of these students from the hinterland now have the opportunity of showcasing their talents and they are doing it well. Most of them ordinarily would not have had the chance of attending a university but see them today, they are now coming out with first class degrees,” the VC said.
Speaking on how he was appointed as the VC of the institution, Salami said: “I never applied for the job, I was invited and given the job. It was given to me on a platter of gold and I was asked to resume immediately.”
He revealed that his tenure as the VC of the school has been an eye opener and a rewarding venture with its own peculiar challenges.
“I will feel fulfilled when my tenure ends on the 8th of May, 2022. I will be very appreciative to God. When we came on board, there was skepticism on whether the university would survive but in our little way, we put certain things in place to ensure our survival and God helped us,” he added.