The 2012/2013 batch of fresh students have officially taken the matriculation oath. This was done at the recently held matriculation ceremony which took place at the forecourt of the Great Hall. The event which was highly attended marked the official recognition of freshers in statu pupullari.
During the event Professor William Otto Ellis, the Vice-Chancellor, said this year’s admission exercise had been challenging due to the excellent passes that applicants presented. He, however, said as a socially responsible institution with the training of the country’s youth at heart, the University had introduced several programmes on parallel, distance learning and e-learning platforms to expand access to education. He said that in the attempt to provide efficient and effective service to the satisfaction of clients, the university provided applicants with regular updates which informed them of the status of their applications through regular text messages and e-mails.
He said the university received a total of 39,626 applications – 33,455 undergraduate and 6171 postgraduate – out of which 28,648 qualified by the university’s criteria and standards. A total of 17,328 applicants were however offered admission for both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes out of which 9,544 – 7,837 undergraduates and 1707 postgraduates – have accepted and were being matriculated. Out of this figure, 3,219 are females and 6,298 males, 337 are international students and 95 are less-endowed students.
He advised the freshmen that although some students did not get their first choice programmes, they should keep it in mind that in life, one does not always get what one bargains for. He said what was important was not what they started with but rather what they ended with. He appealed to them to take time and seriously study the contents of the Student’s Guide which serves as a form of companion to them on campus. He also advised students to be very careful and conscious of every movement they made on campus.
On behalf of the Governing Council, the teaching and non-teaching staff of the University, he congratulated the freshmen for being considered worthy to gain admission into the great and prestigious University and prayed that the good Lord would bless everything they do.
The event was highly attended by parents, guardians and other invited guests.
