By Bukola Hameed
The Provost, Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo, Dr. Rasak A. Adefabi, FIEN, FCAI, J.P has charged newly matriculated students of the College to shun all forms of aberrational behavious and focus on the essence of their coming to school.
The call was made at the College’s 2019/2020 matriculation ceremony held on Friday, 2nd October, 2020 at the College premises.
In a release made available by the Special Assistant to the Provost on Media Matters, ‘Wale Adeoye, the College helmsman affirmed that “the admission of the new matriculants into the College out of numerous Colleges in Nigeria was a clear confirmation of the confidence reposed in the college for its academic excellence and in zeal to producing quality teachers for our dear nation.
According to him, “the credit for this goes to the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde, FNSE who has remained steadfast in ensuring stability of the College system as epitomized in the prompt and untruncated payment of staff salaries and subventions even during the covid-19 lockdown of all educational sectors in the state. We would forever remain grateful to His Excellency’s magnanimity and kind-heartedness”.
While lauding the 14th Governing Council under the amiable leadership of Professor Matthew Odedokun, an erudite and world-class economist who since inauguration leaves no stone unturned in ensuring that the College is set on the trajectory of progress by the invocation of policies to boost IGR for the College in order that staff and students’ welfare were not compromised by any guise whatsoever, the Provost stated that the Governing Council has not left College Management alone in shouldering the governance of the College.
“We are all here today to put you through the principles, norms and culture of the College which had always projected the image of the College as a centre for learning and character for the would-be teachers. The core value of the College depicts the vision of the College as the best teacher training institute in the continent of Africa”, stated the College Chief Executive.
He further appealed to the fresh students to abide by all rules and regulations of the institution in order that their primary objective of coming to the college would not be jeopardised.
Speaking on the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Adefabi called on the fresh students to join hands with the Oyo State Government in getting rid of, or at best eradicate the spread of the infectious disease.
“You need to wash your hands with running water, constantly use face masks, maintain social distance in public places including lecture rooms, classrooms and examination halls and surrender yourself for body temperature measurement as may be required by the College Covid-19 Task Force. Let me assure the entire members of the College community including staff, students and visitors that all required logistics to guarantee strict compliance with Covid-19 protocols are already in place. May we never be victim of the pandemic”, he stated.
The Provost later stated that at the moment, the College has all its programmes fully accredited by both the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the National University Commission (NUC) which award both NCE and degree certificates respectively.
On security, the College number 1 man gave assurance on adequate security on campus while urging the new students to conduct themselves well in their relation with their landlords/landladies in the larger Oyo community where they will be residing.
He said, “recently, we had meetings with landlords as our hosts where they have all pledged their loyalty and cooperation with the College and to continue to extend their support and cooperation with you as their tenants. It is expected that you will also reciprocate their good gesture by cooperating with the landlords/landladies and keep to their respective dos and don’ts as may be required. Feel free to report any untowards development to the College authority, any challenge to your security both within and outside the College community”.
Dr. Rasak Adefabi finally admitted the new students to an oath. “Let me remind you of the oath you are taking today to be obedient to the Provost and all those in authority in the College and in which you equally promised to be of good behaviour throughout your stay in the College. Please be warned that a breach of the oath that you have taken today will attract appropriate sanctions. I pray that God Almighty will watch over you, prosper you and make you all a source of pride to your parents, to your state and humanity in general”, he submitted.