Yabatech 2013 Matriculation

YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

RECTOR’S 2012/2013 MATRICULATION ADDRESS

Protocol

Principal Officers

Members of the Academic Board

Heads of Service Unit

The President and other officers of the Students Union

Parents, Guardians and well wishers

The Fresh Students of this great Institution

Gentlemen of the Press

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

On behalf of Management and the Academic Board of Yaba College of Technology, I welcome you to theoccasion of the matriculation of students admitted into various programmes of study in the 2012/2013 academic session. In considering candidates for admission into the current session, management ensured strict compliance with the 70:30 ratio for Technology and management based programmes.

The seven schools of the college are:

1.       Art, Design and Printing           

2.       Engineering (comprising Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, Metallurgic and Industrial Maintenance Engineering)                          

3.       Environmental studies (Architecture, Building Technology, Estate Management, Quantity surveying, Surveying and Geo-informatics, Urban and Regional planning)                       

4.       Management and Business Studies (Accounting, Business Administration), Banking and Finance, Marketing and Office Technology& Management)       

5.       School of Science and Mathematics (Science Laboratory Technology with options in Environmental biology, Microbiology, Chemistry and Biochemistry,

Physics with Electronics and Statistics                            

6.       Technology (Computer science, Agricultural Technology, Food Technology, Polymer and Textile Technology, Hospitality Management, Leisure and Tourism)                                                             

7.       Liberal Studies (Mass Communication)  

I congratulate the newly matriculated students of Yaba College of Technology.  You are indeed privileged to have been selected after the keen competition through JAMB and the rigorous post-JAMB screening by the college. It is, undoubtedly, a thing of joy and pride to be enrolled as a student of Yaba-the-Great, the cradle of higher education in Nigeria.

I urge you to make the best use of the golden opportunity presented by your admission into the college. 

The matriculation ceremony is of utmost importance.  The oath of allegiance, which you have just sworn to commits you to be of exemplary behaviour throughout your stay in this college, shunning all forms of anti-social behavior such as examination misconduct, cult activities and other unruly behaviour.  You must at all times ensure that you abide by this oath.

You will all be introduced to various structures, systems, rules and regulations in the college during the orientation programme for new students.  The students’ handbook contains detailed information about the college, for your guidance. Also the students Affairs unit is in place for your welfare and other needs.

At today’s ceremony, we will be matriculating new Higher National Diploma and National Diploma intakes in the region of 1,500 and 3,000 respectively.  This is a far cry from the 110,000 candidates who applied to the college as more preferred institution. 

In line with the Federal Government direction and our resolve at improving access to education, we have made concerted effort to improve our carrying capacity through the construction of more structures that will provide additional sitting space for our students.One of the structures is a lecture auditorium with a seating capacity of 1,300 through TETFund Special Invention.  There is also the 500 lecture theatre project which is being upgraded to a 3-storey building.  By the time these projects are completed we will be able to further provide comfortable classroom, studio and laboratory accommodation for our student.

In November 2012, the College got approval for additional streamsfor 18 programmes, thus increasing its carrying capacity by 1,150.

In 2012, the college received approval from NBTE to commence the following programmes in the 2012/2013 session.

S/N	PROGRAM
1	HND Book Publishing                                                       (1 stream of 40 students)
2	ND Marketing                                                         (2 streams of 40 students each)
3	ND Agricultural & Bio-environmental Engineering Tech.       (1 streams of 30 students)
4	ND Marine Engineering (2 streams of 30 students each)
5	HND Mechanical Engineering (Manufacturing option)    (1 stream of 30 students)
6	HND Mechanical Engineering  (Power Plant option) (2 streams of 30 students each)
7	ND Polymer Technology                             (1 stream of 30 students each)

There are a few important points that I wish to highlight on this occasion.  We may describe these as core values of this academic community.

1.       Discipline in Academics

It is imperative that we recognize that the primary purpose of your enrolment in this college is to acquire high quality education.  Therefore, you must aim at academic and professional excellence in your respective disciplines.  To achieve this, you should dedicate yourselves to consistent study, regular attendance at lectures, practical classes and tutorials; as well as optimum use of the library and other learning facilities. 

2.       Discipline in Appearance and Behaviour

All students are required to obey all college rules and regulations, dress properly and demonstrate exemplary behavior at all times.  On no account should any student or group of students take the law into their hands. There are laid down procedures and effective channels of communication for taking care of your grievances through your elected Students Union officials, the office of the Dean (Student Affairs), your various Class Advisers, Heads of Department and Deans of School.  This college has a high reputation of zero tolerance for all forms of anti-social behavior and indecent dressing.

To ensure effective communication and understanding, the Students Union executives are in constant dialogue with college authorities through the office of the Dean of Student Affairs. A good number of student representatives have been co-opted as members of relevant management and academic board committees such as Students Disciplinary Committee, Sports Committee, Welfare Committee, Environmental Sanitation and Beautification Committee and the Campus Security Committee.  There is a functional SERVICOM office ready to receive your complaints and observations on the quality of teaching and other services that you receive.

3.       75% Class Attendance

In Yaba College of Technology, academic regulation provides that students must attend 75% of lectures in order to qualify to write examinations at the end of the semester.  I therefore want to use this opportunity to caution new students against the notion that attendance at lectures is not essential. 

[4.       Entrepreneurial Orientation

The college has some compulsory courses which must be taken by all students throughout their stay in the college.

One of these is entrepreneurial studies which trains you from your first day in school on how to be self-reliant. It is expected that by the time you graduate, you would have acquired the necessary skills to be an entrepreneur and an employer of labour rather than just another job seeker.

It is worthy of note that this college is the first higher institution in Nigeria to establish a full-fledged Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, with strong linkages with the world of commerce and industry. We are corporate members of the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprise (NASME) and the Nigerian-South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 

Another compulsory course is Information and Communication Technology (ICT) studies which enables you to be proficient in the use of computer and other ICT tools.

5.       Cultism

In Yaba College of Technology, it is illegal to operate a secret society or belong to a banned society.  Any contravention of this regulation will lead to expulsion and possible criminal prosecution.

The college management has taken far reaching measures to curtail the menace of cultism; because of this, our campus is free and safe from the menace. We intend to keep it so.  I advise all students to shun these vices.  I will also use this opportunity to advise the parents to counsel their children to be of good behavior throughout their stay in the college.

6.       Ban on Sale and Use of Alcohol on Campus

There is a ban on sale of alcohol on campus and use of alcohol or any intoxicating substance by students on campus.

I want to emphasise that this ban still exists and any student caught using alcohol will be summarily dealt with.

7.       Societies and Social Clubs

There are different types of societies which you are encouraged to join in Yaba College of Technology.  Some of these societies include:  Departmental Associations, State Associations and Socio Cultural Associations.  Please ensure that the society you join is registered with the student affairs unit.

8.       Religious Tolerance

Yaba College of Technology encourages freedom of worship and association in religious activities.  Christians and Muslim live together in harmony.   There is a Christian place for worship and a mosque for Muslim worship.  To foster harmonious co-existence, students are advised to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations pertaining to the use of the college premises for religious worship.

9.       Sports and Leisure

The college has made great strides in the area of sports and can confidently pride itself as an Institution with one of the best sporting facilities in the country.  I urge you to make the best use of these facilities. Eminent sportsmen and sportswomen have been produced by the college.

The college has also won not less than 5 out of the 14 past editions of the Nigerian Polytechnic Games.

10.     Internal Quality Assurance

There is aninternal quality assurance unit in the college which aims at bringing the concept of quality control and assurance in academic service delivery to the consciousness of both staff and students.  The unit ensures that every aspect of academic activity is measured to standards comparable to the best in the world. 

11.     Applied Research and Technology Innovation (ARTI)

The Applied Research and Technology Innovation Unit (ARTI) is a unit in the College established to promote research and linkages with relevant  private sector organizations, particularly macro, small and medium enterprises for the exploitation and use of research for development. 

The unit also assists to promote linkages between our students and students of other institutions especially in the areas of research.

12.     Academic Planning Unit

The Academic Planning Unit is pivotal to the development of academic programmes in Yaba College of Technology.  The Unit was set up in line with management decision to reposition academic activities in the college.

13.     Epe Campus

Yaba College of Technology has a second campus at Epe.  The Department of Agricultural Technology which is admitting its third batch of students is presently operating from Epe campus.  The Michael Otedola Information and Communication Centreisalso located at the Epe campus. Others such as Marine Engineering will soon start operating from Epe Campus.

CONCLUSION

I congratulate the new students on their admission into the Yabatech family, and I appeal to you to remain focused and make a success of your stay in the college.  I see all of you as my children and future leaders.  I hope you will make good progress in your studies by being focused, prayerful and hardworking and in two years’ time, at your graduation ceremony, we will be able to remember today’s occasion with nostalgia.  To the returning students, I welcome you back to the college.  I hope we shall continue to work together in harmony as we did in the last session so that this session can also be a hitch-free session. 

I also congratulate the parents and guardians of the matriculating students.  I pray that these students would remain sources of joy and pride to you always and I pray that by God’s grace they will all excel and not be distracted.

Thank you all and God bless.

DR. M.K. LADIPO