Fides Media Living the Faith
. . . Holds Maiden Matriculation
By Chioma Ndife
Sequel to the operational license granted to Mater Dei Polytechnic, Ugwuoba last year, the institution of higher learning has commenced its 2019/2020 academic year with 80 students who were admitted to run various programmes in its accredited departments.
The maiden matriculation of Mater Dei Polytechnic for the first set of students which commenced with a concelebrated Eucharistic Celebration, was held on Saturday, March 23, at the school square, Ugwuoba, Oji River LGA, Enugu State.
Addressing the matriculating students, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Rev. Fr. Uche Igboamalu, stressed the importance of education in the lives of any individual and advised them on the need of focusing totally on their academic pursuit and avoid engaging in acts which would make the school management to withdraw their admission.
He disclosed the readiness of school management to provide the needed academic environment required by the students to excel in their shown field of life.
In his address of welcome, Fr. Igboamalu, who is also the founder of Mater Dei Polytechnic, noted that the polytechnic was an experiment to show that it was possible to get the best out of students and that the rot in Nigeria’s education system could be corrected. He maintained that through the school’s motto which was to make a genius out of an average mind, the institution hoped to achieve excellence not only in education but also a high standard morality to show that the two must go together for holistic formation.
He said the institution was also an experiment aimed at showing that it was possible for a high standard education service at the higher level could be made available to the poor masses, as good mission schools could also be affordable.
He disclosed that the mission of the institution was to become a world-class centre of excellence in academic scholarship while promoting competence, expertise and enterprise in science, Engineering and Technology through the instrumentality of high quality training, purposeful research, high profile career-driven, capacity building and pragmatic consultancy services in all spheres of polytechnic courses and allied industries/commerce.
He appreciated God for assembling responsible and academically well-nourished minds to take off the polytechnic when the license was gotten, saying that he was highly indebted to the lecturers who despite their academic pedigree undertook to develop the institution without remuneration commensurate to their efforts.
He thanked the parents who entrusted their children under them and assured them that their wards would be trained in all spheres of life.
Speaking to Fides, some of the new students, Mr. Kingsley Okeke and Miss Obanauju Queendaline Ezema, of the Department of Public Administration and Computer Engineering, respectively, expressed high hopes on the quality of education which they would receive in the school judging from the lectures which they had before the matriculation.
They described the institution as a citadel of learning with a great difference and disclosed their readiness to put into great use the facilities which the school management had put in place for them.