The Ekiti State Government has urged Colleges of Health Sciences and Technology across the country to prioritize the delivery of quality education that will enhance the quality of healthcare services provided to Nigerians in medical facilities.
Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, Ekiti State Deputy Governor, delivered the charge in Ido-Ekiti during the inaugural Matriculation Ceremony of a private institution, Oke-Osanyintolu College of Health Sciences and Technology.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje in Ado-Ekiti.
The Deputy Governor, represented by the Permanent Secretary in her Office, Mr. Abayomi Opeyemi, highlighted the strategic importance of Colleges in medical practice.
She emphasized that these institutions play a crucial role in training middle-level health practitioners who provide vital support services to other healthcare professionals in both private and government health facilities.
Chief Afuye emphasized the importance of management taking concerted actions to address issues such as cultism, social unrest, and certificate racketeering, which are often associated with higher institutions.
Additionally, she urged them to work diligently to promote a culture of honor, integrity, and hard work among students and staff.
The Deputy Governor described the establishment of the institution by a private individual as highly commendable, saying this further accentuated the priority placed on Public Private Partnership initiative by Governor Biodun Oyebanji and its efficacy in governance.
Chief Afuye urged the College to produce graduates that can compete with their counterparts globally and make remarkable inroads into cognate and valuable research programmes that can benefit the nation.
“Education by all standards, is an important weapon to fight poverty, ignorance, criminality and social unrest in any society. Any nation where education is not prioritized, development is always very difficult to attain.
“We must also bear in mind that it shouldn’t just be education for the sake of it, but quality education that can serve humanity in the best ways. It is on this premise that Governor Oyebanji places high premium focus on the education of all younger Ekiti indigenes.
“I want to appeal to the management of this school to promote excellence premised on the fact your graduates will work in the health sector described as the most sensitive because it deals with lives.
“You must put the best machinery in motion to check cases of cultism, certificate forgery, mediocrity, laziness, and lack of focus on behalf of the students and lecturers. Youy must promote the culture of hardwork, honesty, and honour, which are the best ingredients for nation building”.
Charging the matriculating students to be diligent, Mrs Afuye, reminded them that they are going to be health professionals in the future and the public would expect from them the best skills and knowledge that can promote quality healthcare delivery .
Dr. Foluke Ajibulu, Provost of the institution noted that the institution was not solely established to train health practitioners, but to churn out professionals who can function effectively in community, primary, secondary, tertiary and industrial health settings.
Dr. Ajibulu appealed to the matriculating students to remember that the visionary founder, Mrs Mary Oke- Osanyintolu, placed priority on integrity and quality, saying the Board of Directors, represented by Dr. Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu will ensure that these virtues reflect in their conducts and comportments.
The Provost added that regulatory bodies had conducted requisite accreditations on the institution and found it worthy in all standards due to the state of the arts facilities that are available to promote teaching, training and research.
She lauded Governor Oyebanji for providing grants to some secondary schools to promote standards and excellence in the education sector, saying such gesture should be extended to private institutions.
The Provost stated that the institution has a JAMB approved CBT Registration centre that can accommodate 4,000 admission seekers, each with laptop and internet access.