The Vice-Chancellor of Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos, Prof Clement Kolawole, has declared that the university was established to make a remarkable difference from other universities in the country.
He gave this position at an event, tagged: “Campus Flaws 2024” with no fewer than 700 senior secondary school students and teachers from private schools in attendance.
The event, held on campus on Tuesday in conjunction with the Etiquette Poise and Protocol Resource (EPRA), a private consulting firm, featured career talk, drama, games and facility tour, among others.
According to the vice-chancellor, who is in acting capacity, the overall objective of Trinity University is not about profiteering like many other universities but to produce well-rounded and fit-for-purpose graduates across disciplines and also conduct societal-oriented research work and community services.
He disclosed that the university started with just nine students five years ago but now has more than 1,000 students’ population.
He also noted that the university now offers a total of 16 courses across disciplines with all of them fully accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the nation’s university regulatory body as well as relevant professional bodies for professional courses among them.
The vice-chancellor, who is a Professor of Language Education, pointed out that the university had not only both capable academic and non-academic workforce but also a conductive and cult-free environment that inspires creativity, innovation, ingenuity, and robust curriculum that produces the total-man with impeccable character and leadership skills.
He said that was why the university is exposing its students to things that can add meaningful value to their lives now and in future while also cautioning them against unruly behaviours such as cultism, examination malpractice, fighting and hooliganism and so forth in and outside the campus.
He emphasised that the university with a global network is operating as a 21st century educational institution hammering on the knowledge economy.
The VC, however, decried the exclusion of private universities from TETFUND intervention, describing such exclusion as discriminatory.
According to him, education is a social service and graduates from private schools are expected to contribute just like their peers from public schools to the country’s development, hence the need to factor them in by TETFUND.
He said it was high time for the Federal Government to amend the TETFUND Act to incorporate private tertiary institutions into the scheme in the spirit of fairness.