‘Japa’ syndrome among youths disturbing, says VC

Varsity to establish Aviation College, gives Engineering students scholarship
Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, has announced plans to establish a College of Aviation, with an airstrip within the university following accreditation of its courses by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

The move, according to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Samuel Aje, will position the school as the only university in West Africa to embark on such a programme.

Aje, at a press conference to herald the 12th convocation and 15th anniversary ceremonies of the institution, said the governing council has granted 50 per cent tuition scholarship for Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and direct entry candidates in engineering programmes.

According to the vice chancellor, the foundation day lecture with the theme, ‘Digital innovation and entrepreneurship as panacea to unemployment’ would be delivered by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

Aje further stated that during the weeklong ceremonies, the first batch of Engineers produced by the institution would be absorbed by the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE).

He added that out of the 467 graduating students, 30 bagged first class, while 242 will be awarded second class upper, 152 second class lower and 19 third class.

“On December 8, we shall be presenting 96 graduates of Medical Laboratory Science to Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria for registration as Medical Laboratory Scientists. This will be our ninth induction ceremony.”

“We shall equally be presenting 114 graduate nurses to the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria for induction as Registered Nurses and Registered Midwives.

“A total number of 893 students have benefitted from this tuition free arrangement since inception in 2021. Our gratitude equally goes to the Governing Council for granting 50 per cent tuition scholarship for UTME and direct entry candidates in engineering programmes.”

However, the vice chancellor frowned at the mass exodus of Nigerian youths to foreign countries described as the ‘japa’ syndrome.

He considered the situation very disturbing and called for urgent action from all concerned.