The Team Leader, Engr. (Prof.) Joseph Afolayan (Standing) explaining the mission of the Accreditation Team, while the DVC (A), Prof. Toyin Arowolo (Left) and other members of the Team listen with rapt attention.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) Accreditation Team to the University’s College of Engineering (COLENG) has commended the Management for maintaining stipulated quota, in terms of students’ population in the College.
The Head of the team, Engr. (Prof.) Joseph Afolayan gave the commendation in his remarks at a wrap-up session with the University Management, on Wednesday.
The Team Leader noted that unlike most Engineering Faculties and Colleges in the nation’s tertiary institutions, FUNAAB has uniquely and enviably complied with the stipulated quota of having very few students in its College of Engineering.
According to him, “The population of students you have in your College of Engineering is a plus to this University. How you‘ve been able to do that we don’t know. How you have been able to pin down the students’ population you have annually is very amazing”.
“This is simply because in other Engineering Faculties we visited, the population per level is a minimum of 100 but you have been working 40, this is excellent”, he added.
He pointed out that this has not only engendered conducive atmosphere for learning, better still, it has fostered a cordial relationship between students of the College and their Lecturers, as well as the entire staff, at large.
Engr. (Prof.) Afolayan also lauded the operation of the University ‘Nimbe Adedipe Library stating, “We were at the University Library and what we saw there, especially the e-Library session is quite interesting”.
The University Don also disclosed that his team was highly impressed with the aesthetic and serenity of the University.
According to him, “your environment is very glittering and welcoming, right from the gate to the College, the landscape is beautiful, alluring and inviting”.
Engr. (Prof.) Afolayan attributed the feat to the “dynamic leadership” of the Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole led Management; “The leadership here is a very dynamic one and this has reflected on the atmosphere on the campus. The leadership here is progressive, proactive and dynamic”.
Engr. (Prof.) Afolayan, however, challenged the Management on the urgent need to improve the lots of the College of Engineering (COLENG) in the area of staffing, capacity building, provision of equipments, books and journals among others.
According to him, “the exercise is for improvements, no matter how much you have done, there is always room for improvement”.
He pointed out that accreditation of programmes in the Nation’s Ivory Towers is not to witch-hunt any institution, adding that it is a peer review exercise, geared towards enhancing service delivery.
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole commended the team for it doggedness saying, “we know how strenuous accreditation can be and for you to arrive on Sunday and being able to complete the assignment in such a short time, it means you have put in a lot of efforts. I want to commend you for the good job you have done”.
Responding to issues raised by the team, the Vice-Chancellor, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Professor Toyin Arowolo expressed joy that the University is already addressing most of them.
Commenting on the issue of office accommodation for staff, Prof. Oyewole said, “As for staff office, we are aware of it, and of course, I know the drawing for College of Engineering is ready. The University is going to focus in the next three years on building the College of Engineering”.
“The Vice-Chancellor has already assured of that. He has even directed the Dean of College of Engineering to meet with the Director of Physical Planning, so as to expedite action on it”, he added.
On student population, Prof. Oyewole said “what we are told is that COREN insists that Engineering students should not be more than 30 and we have been complying with COREN directive.
“We all know the advantages of having a small class of students. For one, you will be able to communicate effectively; you will be able to monitor your students. You can even know the names of all the students here in FUNAAB, we don’t joke with Engineering we train and train our students properly. With the spate of collapsed buildings now in the country, we don’t want our products to be involved in that mess.