The National Universities Commission (NUC) on Monday upgraded the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, into Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUST).
Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, officially announced the take-off of the university in Abuja at the formal presentation of the school’s recognition letter to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun.
Rasheed said that the university would be recognised as the 45th state university in the country.
According to him, the take-off of the university will mean that Ogun State will now have three state universities.
“Ogun state is the intellectual capital of black Africa,” Rasheed said.
“From the NUC records, Olabisi Onabanjo University and Tai Solarin University of Education are two state universities but the addition of the University of Science and Technology will make it three.
“What this shows is that the governor is really doing well as he has the education of the state at heart.
“Beginning from July 3, 2017, the Polytechnic has now been recognised as the 45th state university in Nigeria.”
Rasheed also noted that the NUC did not just create the university for access alone but the integrity and sanctity of the degree in Nigeria university.
He said an average graduate of Nigerian university with a very good average degree earned (2-2) in a good university in Nigeria and qualifies for any university in the world performs better.
“Our qualities are of international standard, we have high standard in the quality of education in Nigeria.
“We are still working to review our curriculum to make it more competitive and ensure that it is of international best standards to solve our problems.
“We want to graduate students who are familiar with our culture, tradition, history, science; and we want those graduates to be citizens of the world who can fit in anywhere.
“We want to assure Nigerians that the quality of our degree is quite okay and we are working to improve on it,” he said.
In his response, Governor Amosun said for any nation to get it right, the tertiary institutions must do well.
Amosun said the upgrade of the Polytechnic to a university was done through the enabling law of the Ogun State House of Assembly.
He added that the university would be a reference point as the government of the state was committed to leave no stone unturned to take the university to its greater height.
