Prof. Maxwel Ogbulu
Abia varsity may increase tuition fees, graduates 5, 712 students in combined convocation
[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]
Management of the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) has given indication that tuition fees in the institution may be slightly adjusted.
Vice Chancellor of ABSU, Prof. Maxwel Ogbulu, gave this indication today (Tuesday, November 9, 2021) during a pre-convocation Press Briefing at the Senate Chambers of the school.
Ogbulu said ABSU was considering the fees reviews as a result of economic realities.
Giving an example, the Vice Chancellor said ABSU was still charging N112, 000 as tuition fee for medical students set about 20 years ago, while many other universities were charging between N3 million to N5 million for the same course.
“This is to sensitise you,” he said, of the imminent increase in tuition fees of the university, though he did not disclose when the envisaged new tuition fees regime would come into effect.
Still on increasing the revenue profile of the university, Ogbulu said that management was working out new strategies for introducing more Courses that would yield more students intake, which, in turn, would impact positively on the revenue of the school.
He listed some of the new courses that may be introduced to include Hospitality Management and Tourism, Community Health and Geology, among others.
Ogbulu explained that during the combined convocation slated for this Friday (November 12) 5, 712 comprising of 27th and 28th batches of students, would be graduated, with 29 of them making First Class; 607graduatin with Masters Degrees and 357 with Doctorate Degrees.
He noted that “the significant increase in the number of first class and second class upper division degrees as well as higher degrees is a commendable improvement which attests to the dedication and commitment of staff and students towards academics.”
The Vice Chancellor added that three eminent personalities of Igboland would be honoured with the award of Honorary Doctorate Degrees during the convocation by the university. He named them to include the Chairman, Air Peace Limited, Barr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema who would be conferred with Honorary Doctorate Degree in Public Administration; the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Slot Systems Limited, Engr. Nnamdi Ezeigbo, Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (DBA) and a former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Southeast zone, Dame Gladys Nne Nwafor, Honorary Doctorate Degree in Public Administration.
In the same vein, Ogbulu announced that that the university would confer Emeritus Professor on three distinguished professors who had worked in the school. They are Prof. S.O.Igwe; Prof. G.I.Nwaka, and late Prof. Anthony Nwabughuogu, who would be honoured post-humous.
The Convocation would be preceded by a pre-convocation lecture to be delivered by a former Minister of Information and immediate past President of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo, with the theme “Nigeria’s Political and Economic Future: The Dangers We Can Avert,” scheduled for Thursday, November 11, 2021.
According to the Vice Chancellor, projects executed under his almost one year-old administration would be inaugurated by the Visitor to the institution and Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu.
He expressed happiness that the convocation has finally been realized after several challenges which trailed the planning and execution of the event from last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
