Not less than 41graduates of the University of Port Harcourt, Uniport, will receive the exalted First Class grade at the institution’s 30th convocation billed for this weekend.
This is a clear departure from the institution’s 29th convocation where 20 graduates were awarded First Class degrees. Vice Chancellor, Joseph Ajienka, who disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday, said 10 of the First Class graduates were from the Faculty of Humanities.
Ajienka said others that bagged the grade were from the Faculty of Social Sciences, Education, Management Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Natural and Applied Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and the School of Science Laboratory Technology.
He explained that the forthcoming event was a combined 30th convocation, which covered the 2011/2012, 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 academic sessions, adding that a total of 18,363 students would receive First Degrees, Post-graduate Diplomas, Masters and Doctorate Degrees.
“A further breakdown of the figure shows that in the undergraduate category, 41 graduands earned First Class (Honours) Degree of the university. Of this number, 10 are from the Faculty of Humanities,” he said.
He also disclosed that renowned industrialist, Mazi Samuel Ohuabunwa, would on Thursday deliver the convocation lecture titled ‘Nigeria: From Consumption to a Production-oriented Economy,’ at the varsity’s Ebitimi Banigo Auditorium.
The Vice Chancellor, who would soon be handing over to a successor, was elated that 41 graduands from the undergraduate category were receiving First Class Honours degree of the university, and commended them for a job well done.
Also, Ajienka noted that the university is transforming to a research-oriented institution, adding that Uniport had concluded a Research Assessment Exercise aimed at determining the varsity’s strengths and weaknesses.
He added that the Senate and Council of the university had approved that former President Goodluck Jonathan be honoured as a Distinguished Fellow.
“He (Jonathan) will be the first to be honoured and we are proud that he took all his degrees from unique Uniport.
“This rare fellowship is being conferred on the former President in recognition of his exemplary leadership of the country and contributions to the development of his Alma Mater,” the outgoing Vice Chancellor said.
