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By Damiete Braide
Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos, held its 38th convocation, graduating 6,193 students, recently.
The convocation was for 2017/2018, 2018/2019/2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022 academic sessions. 
Out of the 6,193 graduands, there were 2,888 for NCE full-time programmes, 2,198 for distance learning programmes, 387 for professional diploma in education programme (PDE), respectively.
Onifade Azeezat Bisola, who finished from the Business Education department, emerged the overall best graduating student with cumulative grade point aggregate (CGPA) of 5.0.
Provost of the school, Dr. Wahab Ademola Azeez, congratulated the graduands and their parents/guardians on the success and committed them to God’s care as they ventured into another phase of life.
“At this juncture, I must offer counsel that the journey is not yet over. As NCE and even PDE graduands, you have yet another opportunity to climb the ladder of fulfillment and realization. The certificate being awarded to each of you today is not an end in itself but a means to an end. This certificate is an attestation of the competence, professional and technical knowledge and skills you have acquired these past years.
‘You you are, therefore expected to apply the knowledge acquired from training in the college for the benefit of humanity, generally, by earning a living through dignified labour. This is in line with the core objectives and values that our college is set out to fulfill and being vigoursly pursued by the present administration.”
The provost urged the graduates not to rest on their oars but to forge ahead and eke a productive life through entrepreneurial self-employment ventures.
“Do not be deluded that the country owes you a living since you have obtained a certificate of education. Rather, you are to task your initiatives putting the skills and knowledge garnered to work.
“I challenge you to prove your competence in self-reliance as well as becoming an employer of labour, instead of an awaiting teacher to be employed by any government or institution,” Azeez said.
Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, commended the graduands on the epoch-making event, which is a function of several years of diligence and sacrifice.
“It is my hope that many of the graduands would consider this feat as a springboard to the next level of life’s accomplishment either in pursuit of higher education or establishment of business venture where you would apply entrepreneurial skills, which you acquired during your study.
“I, therefore, challenge you that as you go into the world, you should strive to contribute meaningfully to any society you find yourself,” the minister said .
Prof. Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle, Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) congratulated the students for the achievement and said they benefitted some level of entrepreneurial and other functional skills necessary to empower and help them adapt to the challenges of the labour market.
Prof. Okwelle charged the graduates to be good ambassadors of the institution and teacher education.
“ I want to thank the parents/guardians of these graduands for their generous support towards the education of their wards. It is my prayer that they will reap the fruits of their labour while I wish them success as they launch into the world of work or further studies.”
Alhaji Adamu Muazu, Chairman, Governing Council, FCE Akoka encouraged the graduands to go into the world and use their intellect to put the college on the world map.
Muazu stressed: “You should strive to influence society by being social innovators, be creative, innovative and positively influence the world around you.”
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