National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Deborah Odekola |
Precious Cornerstone University (PCU) is set to award degrees to 118 graduating students at its 3rd Convocation ceremony.
The event will take place on Monday, November 11, 2024, with graduates to be honoured for their academic achievements, including 14 First-Class, 65 Second-Class Upper, 37 Second-Class Lower, and two Third-Class honours.
The announcement was made by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Timothy Adejumo, during a press briefing on Wednesday.
He also appealed to the Federal Government to extend financial support to private tertiary institutions to help them navigate the current economic challenges.
Professor Adejumo emphasised that many private universities are struggling to cover operational costs due to rising expenses and limited revenue from student fees.
“Private universities are assisting the government in training students who would otherwise lack access to education,” Professor Adejumo noted.
“The government should consider these contributions and provide support to help alleviate the financial challenges these institutions face.”
He specifically called for private universities to be included in funding schemes like the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund), adding that access to these resources would go a long way in supporting the sustainability of private institutions.
Highlighting the institution’s growth, Professor Adejumo announced that Precious Cornerstone University recently received full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) for programmes including Mass Communication, Software Engineering, Cybersecurity, and International Relations.
Additionally, the university has gained approval to offer part-time programmes in several courses such as Biochemistry, Computer Science, Microbiology, and Physics with Electronics.
Professor Adejumo also mentioned that the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) had accredited the university’s accounting programme, granting exemptions for accounting graduates from preliminary exams.
He pointed out that PCU provides flexible payment options for tuition, allowing students to pay in installments, and operates an uninterrupted academic calendar to ensure students graduate on time.
Also speaking, the Registrar, Mrs. Morenike Afolabi emphasised PCU’s dedication to quality education and called on stakeholders, including journalists, to support the institution’s vision.
The convocation ceremony is part of a week-long celebration that includes various activities: a community service and a public lecture by the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency on Wednesday, an exhibition and novelty match on Thursday, a convocation play on Friday, a Vice-Chancellor’s dinner with graduating students on Saturday, and a Foundation Day Thanksgiving Service on Sunday.
The week will culminate on Monday, November 11, 2024, with the Award of Degrees and Prizes, the conferment of honorary degrees, and a convocation lecture.
The lecture, titled “Faith, Leadership, and Governance: Preparing the Next Generation for Ethical Leadership in Nigeria,” will be delivered by the Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde.
