Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Outgoing Vice Chancellor of the Benue State University (BSU), Prof. Msugh Kembe has disclosed that the carrying capacity of the University under his administration witnessed an increase from 4,655 to 7,134.
Prof. Kembe who is the fifth Vice Chancellor of the state owned University disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the institution’s Senate Chamber on Thursday as part of activities marking his handover ceremony.
The outgoing Vice Chancellor who noted that the above figure is besides a 36% increase in the number of academic staff, stated that there was an increase from 1.52% to 2.40% for senior administrative staff; though with a decrease from 3.2% to 2.4% for junior staff.
He recalled that in the 2015/2016 academic session when he took over the mantle of leadership, the University was offering 51 undergraduate degree programmes in nine faculties.
The VC listed the distribution of the courses to include 7 in Arts, 18 in Education, 2 in Environmental Sciences, 1 in Law, 2 in Management Sciences, 12 in Science, 6 in Social Sciences, and 3 in the College of Health Sciences.
“Total enrolment for these programmes for the same academic session stood at 17,031 students. Of this number, only 2,282 representing 13.4% were Science majors, while the remaining 14,749 representing 86.6% were in the non-science majors. This admission pattern did not conform to the NUC stipulated ratio of 60:40 science-non-science enrolment.
Kembe said by way of remediation, more programmes were established in sciences, and proposals for establishing programmes in Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Geology, Pharmacy, as well as Technology, are at advanced stages.
He listed other programmes established under his headship to include Bachelor Degree programmes in Nursing Science, Radiology and Radiation Science, Finance, Marketing, and Taxation.
Prof. Kembe who will be handing over to his successor, Prof. Tor Iorapuu said his regret is that he had to lose one out of his five year tenure to COVID-19 global pandemic which had made the institution close down for over eight months now.
He thanked all staff and students for their cooperation thought is tenure and urged them to extend the same support to his successor.
