Ben Dunno, Warri
The Vice Chancellor Delta state University (Delsu) Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Prof. Andy Egwunyenga, has said the management would always placed topmost priority on students intellectual capabilities rather than age limitations in the process of admitting new students into various courses offered by the institution,
Making the clarification while responding to a question at a media interactive session held on Tuesday to commence the activities marking its 16th Convocation ceremony, Prof. Egwunyenga, however described the issue of under- age students as a very controversial issue.
He admonished the society to begin to think beyond age and see talents as something that must be nurtured and encouraged rather than being allowed to waste away due to our primordial way of reasoning and sentiments of placing maturity above intelligence and sound minds in offering admission to students.
According to him; “The issue of under age students is a controversial one. The statutory age is 16years, particularly for foundation programs like Pre-Degrees and all that. But society has to think again”.
In developed countries, we have had people who are early teens who are already in Harvard doing great. Would you say because of their age and stop them like Africans do. You recognize people on the basis of their intellect not age. But we are still behind time in laying emphasis on age”.
Continuing; “Development of intellect and maturity not always the function of age. If you find somebody who is ahead of his or her time at age 15 and banged As all through and went ahead to score 320 and above in the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams, and you want me in my right conscience to deny such person admission. I’ll never do that”
“We must ensure that we encourage talents. The best people are those who break boundaries and we as institutions, we must try as possible to encourage them to succeed in bringing out the potentials in them for the good of our society and the country at large”.
On the research development, Prof
Egwunyenga, noted that the institutions currently the first and the best in South-South and South-East and among the 28 best universities in the country is working in partnership with foreign universities in Canada and Europe on some major projects and are targeted at proffering solutions to issues affecting certain sectors of the economy.