Apathetic lecturers responsible for students’ poor performance, says UniAbuja VC

Fred Ezeh, Abuja

The VC said he was worried when he assumed office five years ago and discovered that only few students graduated with first class amidst thousands of students who graduate annually.

The VC told journalists at a pre-convocation press conference at the permanent site of the school, that he was compelled to set up a committee to investigate the reason for such poor academic performance.

He said: “The committee did thorough investigation and made their recommendations.  Outcome of the investigation revealed that lecturers’ poor attitude to work was responsible for poor academic performance of the students. We picked up their suggestions, their recommendations, implemented them and we achieved the desired results. The number of first class graduates continued to rise.

“In my first year as VC, only eight first class graduates were produced. The number increased the following year when we began to implement the committee’s recommendations. At last year’s convocation ceremony, 16 first class graduates were rewarded.

“I can confidently confirm that 24 students earned first class degree and they would be rewarded at our 23rd convocation ceremony on Saturday. The improved academic performance was as a result of the measures we took when I was appointed VC five years ago.”

Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor announced that no fewer than 5,288 undergraduates and postgraduates students would participate in its 23rd convocation on Saturday, and they would receive their certificates on the convocation ground.

Breakdown of the figure revealed that 4, 946 students would graduate with Bachelors degrees. 982 of them earned Second Class Upper degree, 2, 498 Second Class Lower, 1, 085, Third Class and 137 graduated with pass degree.

There would also be 342 postgraduates students. 68 graduands would be awarded Doctorate degree, 233 would get Masters degrees while 41 would get Postgraduate diploma.