The acting Provost, Federal College of Education (Technical) (FCET), Umunze, Anambra State, Dr. Cecilia Nonye Ibekwe, has described the admission of new students into the institution for the new session as an exercise carried out on merit.
She said the college does not tolerate examination malpractice or any forms of indecent harassment of students.
Dr Ibekwe disclosed this at the 29th/7th joint matriculation ceremony for students of NCE, degree and Professional Diploma in Education (PDE) programmes, held recently at the college convocation arena.
No fewer than 2,000 students, admitted for the new session, participated in the colourful exercise, which had in attendance the representative of the Vice Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Prof Joseph Ahaneku.
The acting provost congratulated the new students on successfully scaling the admission hurdle, noting that their resilience enabled them to pass through the admission processes. She warned them to desist from corrupt act of bribe-for-marks, which has become an endemic vice in most public tertiary institutions in the country.
“The college maintains zero tolerance for cultism, examination malpractices, indecency and all forms of unruly behavior by students.
Students who engage in such vices would be fished out and reprimanded appropriately,” she explained.
Dr. Ibekwe said the college remains committed to the task of having a crime-free campus and warned all new students to desist from acts that could stain the shining reputation of the institution.
“Let me put it on record that the college does not tolerate bribe-for-marks, often called “sorting” or any form of indecent harassment. Unfortunately, we are in an era where girls/ladies now go out in pursuit of boys/men. I implore lecturers and students to apply their hearts unto wisdom and avoid the pursuit of vanities that would only bring misery at the end,” she said.
According to her, 75 percent attendance to lectures remains an essential requirement for both old and new students in all the courses offered in the college.
Ibekwe further advised parents to ensure that their children live in school hostels, and pay them unscheduled visits. This step, she said, has become necessary to avoid the detestable situation where female students live with their boyfriends in off campus residential areas.
“We must put a stop to cohabitation of male and female students, since it encourages immorality and constitutes a huge distraction to academic work. While urging students to make right choices, she said, “You have stepped into a new world of liberty, far away from the controlling influence of your parents and guardians. You are at liberty now to make individual choices, but remember that the choice you make today would surely determine your fate tomorrow”.
Also speaking, the VC of UNIZIK, Prof Ahaneku, congratulated the new students offering degree programme in the college. He explained that since the college runs degree programme in affiliation with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, all students offering degree programme in the institution equally enjoy the status of bonafide students of the university.
The VC, who was represented by the Dean, Faculty of Education, Prof Nkechi Esomonu, said the university was satisfied with the state of facilities and quality of academic staff in the college before mounting the degree programme.