By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
Ahead of its fifth convocation scheduled for December 21, Vice Chancellor of Mountain Top University (MTU), Ogun State, Elijah Ayolabi, has called for the review of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) policy to accommodate private institutions so they can engage in research and training for more local content and gain global recognition.
At a press briefing to announce the convocation, he said private institutions were not seeking support from TETFUND to fund their institutions but sponsorship for research and training so it could aid whatever study they were undertaking.
The vice chancellor said MTU has been able to strengthen the quality of its research work by conducting research on herbs that are locally relevant and capable of contributing to national development.
“The university doesn’t joke with research. Currently, we have the centre for genomics and biomedicine. This centre is committed to research in the area of using herbs, the local production of drugs that can be used to produce drugs that can be used to treat all kinds of ailment. We do not use synthetic drugs, because of the harmful effects associated with it.This is what the centre is doing to support the health of the community and nation at large,” he said.
Ayolabi urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and colleagues in public tertiary institution to collaborate with stakeholders in private institutions instead of promoting competitions.
He said the university would graduate 348 students with 36 bagging First Class honours. Others include one PhD, one Mphil. Degree, 15 for Masters’ and one postgraduate diploma.
Former governor of Akwa Iboma State, Emmanuel Udom, will deliver the convocation lecture with the theme: Optimising your potential in a challenging future.”
The ceremony would be held at the university’s multipurpose hall.