Thirty-five out of 148 graduating students bagged first-class honours at Dominion University’s second graduation ceremony in Ibadan.
The university’s management has announced plans to offer employment opportunities to these top-performing graduates.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Abel Olorunnisola, providing a breakdown of the graduation statistics, revealed that 71 students earned second-class upper division honors, 39 obtained second-class lower division, and three graduated with third-class honors.
Prof. Olorunnisola also noted that 80 percent of the graduating class benefited from various scholarship programs aimed at assisting financially disadvantaged students.
He added that ten of the first-class graduates were recipients of these scholarships.
Prof Olorunnisola added that in September 2024, the National Universities Commission approved the establishment of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences with effect from the 2024/2025 academic session, bring the faculties in the institution to three.
The new faculty, he said is made up of the department of Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Public Health, which he said has taken off.
In a remark, the Chancellor, Dominion University, Ibadan, Bishop Taiwo Adelakun appealed to the Federal Government to consider a review of some of its policies, which according to him are limiting the growth of private universities in the country.
He said policies on the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND), Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and age limit for admission seekers are limiting the capacities of the universities as well as the potential of brilliant young secondary school leavers.
Bishop Adelakun who also doubles as the Presiding Bishop, Victory International Church, urged government to create a level playing ground for both the private and public universities in the country to operate.
He said a situation whereby certain laws are made to favourr a part and affect another may not allow for even growth of the sector.
Read Also: 22 bags First class as Dominion University graduates 96 in maiden convocation
He sighted for instance, the access to grant through the Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND) being enjoyed by public varsities but not accessible by their private counterpart as well as the student loan fund (NELFUND), which he said could be extended to students in the private schools too.
He added that many public varsities may not be affected by the age limit placed on admission seekers due to the massive application they get from prospective candidates but that the same policy has adverse effect on majority of applicants to the private universities.
He urged the government to consider a review of the policies owing to the fact that both the private and public universities are training and developing manpower capacity for the development of the country, noting that most modern courses not readily available in most public varsities are abundant in the private universities.