UNICAL: VC Says Pre-Degree Program is a Stepping Stone, Advises Students to Take it Serious

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Banku Obi has advised Pre-Degree students to take their studies seriously describing the programme as a stepping stone for their academic progression.

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The Vice-Chancellor gave the advice while delivering her speech during an Orientation Programme organized for Pre-Degree students of the institution held at the Centre for Educational Services Conference Hall.

Welcoming the Pre-Degree students to the University, Prof. Obi described the University as a Centre of Excellence, urging them not to water that status down.

Here her, "I want you to take this programme seriously. It is a stepping stone to your academic progression. Because you did a Pre-Degree, you will be preferred to others who just wrote JAMB.

But you have to have good grades to justify your admission. We don't want to water down the system.

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"It is a one-year program and it's either you pass or you fail. If you do very well, you can get admitted into your chosen course of study, even Medicine and law."

She urged the students to be humble and get acquainted with the rules and regulations of the University, shunning all forms of anti-social activities, saying they have no business in such activities.

Speaking earlier, the Director of the Pre-Degree Programme, Dr. (Mrs) Virginia Emmanuel Ironbar said she was happy with the large turnout of students and the availability of the resource persons who have come to educate the students as to the reason why they are in the University and what to do in order to succeed.

Dr. Ironbar charged the students to develop a sound behavioural pattern that will guide them through the programme.

According to her, the reason for the orientation exercise is to guide the students on the rules and regulations of the institution and expose them to all the requirements needed to study and have good scores, this is even as she urged them to embrace the opportunity to learn from dedicated teachers while being of good behaviour.

Similarly, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Prof. Angela Oyo-Ita who spoke on "Effective Study Strategy" admonished the students to make their phones serve them and not the other way round.

She urged them to do everything possible to pass their exams with good grades by studying very hard and asking questions in the areas they have difficulties.The Director of Academic Affairs, Pst. Gabriel Osang said the university has given the Pre-Degree programme five hundred admission slots provided they get the required scores, this is even as he also urged the students to study hard.

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The event featured other presentations by officials of the Pre-Degree programme, as well as, representations from various Departments.