From TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The University of Port Harcourt (UniPort) has announced that a total number of 19,235 graduates would be convocating today (Friday) and Saturday.
Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Oruwari Georgewill, disclosed this during a pre-convocation media briefing in Port Harcourt, yesterday, saying it would start with the first degrees.
According to Georgewill, a breakdown of the number, showed that 9,536 are Bachelor Degrees, out of which 161 obtained the First Class Honours.
Similarly, about 9,699 are for post-graduate degrees (PGDs) and diplomas. Out of this, about 1,028 are PhDs; 3,745 are Masters Degrees in various disciplines, and about 4,926 are post-graduates diplomas.
He explained that the 33rd combined convocation of 2018/2019, 2019/2020 was as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and eight months of strike by different university unions.
“This is a combined convocation of 2018/2019, 2019/2020. You will agree with me that it appears that it delayed but obviously we all know some of the reasons: COVID-19, eight months of strike by different Unions in campus. So, we are doing what should have been done maybe before now.”
“The university has taken time to prepare for this convocation. Various committees were set up, the convocation is described as classical by the grace of God.”
Prof. Georgewill further explained:
“Period of convocation is period of intellectual harvest. That is when the university knows its output; the years we accept students, train them, at the time of convocation, we make our outputs; graduate students, give them certificate and award.
“Since we came onboard, we have done all we could to ensure that this university delivers on its mandate. Mandate in teaching, learning, research, community service, as well as what NUC has recently added, entrepreneurship.
“In other to succeed in this mandate, we thank God we have a very hard-working Service Council. The council that is aided by Senator Andrew Uchendu, they have been very supportive of the management, provided all needed guidance for the management to succeed.
“When we came onboard, we noticed that the information available about the institution is not always readily available for everyone. We initiated “This Week Retrospect”, where we reach out to all staff, students and stakeholders, informing them what happens in the university.
“We ensure that the issues of professorial promotion is tackled.
When we came onboard, we discovered that the career structure of this university has been in the pipeline for about 16 years. So, we ensure that council approved that career structure.
“We all know the issues of climate challenge, flood, natural disasters all over the world and this university is also very desirous of tackling climate changes. We are working with partners both local and international to tackling the climate.
“The students cooperation with this administration is legendary. This is because we are out to ensure we provide a conducive environment for learning and issues that concerns the students, concerns us very much.
He, however, commended the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, especially the governor, for supporting the institution.