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From Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
The Vice Chancellor of Rhema University, Aba in Abia State, Prof Ogbonnaya Onwudike, has urged the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) management committee to reconsider its stance of alienating private institutions from receiving grants to construct and rehabilitation their existing facilities.
He posited that since the private institutions alongside those owned by the government work for the common good of the society in producing graduates that will drive the nation as future leaders and managers, government shouldn’t discriminate in helping those institutions in need of funds to rebuild and strengthen their infrastructures for better delivery of quality education.
Onwudike, however assured that his institution, a faith based conventional university of the Living Word Ministries International, remained upbeat and on the right track towards sustaining the core values, visions and missions that drove the conception and establishment of the pioneer private university in the commercial hub of Abia state.
He promised its commitment to qualitative delivery and satisfaction of the educational yearnings of Nigerians, particularly those within its catchment areas who form the fulcrum of its future expansionist policy.
The vice-chancellor, who was speaking in an interactive session with the media, also said that the over 20 academic programmes of the institution have all scaled the accreditation huddles of the regulatory body, the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The Education Report gathered that the university, established in 2009 by the Living Word Ministry International, commenced full academic programmes in 2010, to train, nurture and equip men and women for excellence in all areas of life, as core values.
“Till date, the university has produced seven sets of graduates. We started with two colleges: Colleges of Basic and Applied Sciences and that of Management and Social Sciences.
“Today, we have the third one, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, with medicine and surgery top on it’s academic programmes. We are working towards expanding the programmes with a view to meeting the educational needs of the people especially those within its catchment areas.
“We are alive to the fact that most people will want to improve themselves educationally, while at the same time carrying on with their businesses and or other careers.
To this end, part of our future expansion plans, will be the mounting of some certificate and diploma programmes,” Onwudike stated.
On the perceived high cost of acquiring education in private institutions, the professor of Agricultural Science, at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, Osun State and former VC, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike (MOUAU), noted that “commitment to quality education, also goes hand in glove with the policy of ensuring that no segment of the society is denied the opportunities of studying at the Rhema University on account of financial incapacitation.
“The tendency is for private universities to be perceived as being out of the reach of the ordinary people, but here in Rhema University, we have instituted some measures to ensure that those desirous of quality education, are not deprived because of lack of finance. Prospective students are allowed to pay their fees at least on three installments. We believe that in this way, the burden would have been lessened.
“Besides, there are many students, who are on the scholarship of some public spirited individuals. This is in addition to our robust pursuit of our corporate social responsibilities, particularly, to our host communities. We strive to carry them along through some friendly policies, the bottom line being that we don’t want financial constraints to prevent people access to qualitative education.”
He further added that the university, “has been able to sustain it’s core values, which are premised on the production of future leaders who will be able to meet the challenges of development in this age of globalization, as well as cultivate in the student, profound professional expertise and high integrity.”
