Achievers varsity produces 98 first-class graduates as 836 set for convocation

Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, is set to graduate 836 students at its 16th convocation ceremony, with 98 undergraduates earning first-class degrees.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Omolola O. Irinoye, disclosed this on Friday during a press briefing ahead of the university’s convocation activities scheduled for October 30 and 31, 2026.

The graduating students comprise 786 undergraduates and 50 postgraduate students, reflecting the institution’s output across its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

Irinoye defended the number of first-class graduates, attributing their performance to the university’s investment in quality assurance and its commitment to maintaining academic standards.

“We have no apologies for the number of first-class students that we have. We spend a lot of money to ensure that we drive quality, and we also ensure that students are not denied what they deserve,” she said.

She explained that the university enforced a minimum class attendance requirement of 70 per cent, alongside continuous assessment requirements, for students to qualify for examinations.

According to her, the institution’s quality assurance unit also monitors the performance of lecturers and students to ensure compliance with established academic standards.

Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor called on the Federal Government to extend the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) scheme to students in private universities, arguing that students should not be denied educational support because of the institutions they attend.

She said the assumption that all students in private universities came from wealthy families was misleading, adding that many parents struggled to finance their children’s education.

Irinoye also appealed to the government to review taxes imposed on private universities, saying the financial burden affected both institutions and parents.

She disclosed that, as part of the institution’s efforts to improve access to education, the university had introduced full-tuition scholarships for selected programmes, alongside other scholarship categories offering discounts of between 65 and 80 per cent.

She said at least 500 students had benefited from the scholarship initiatives since the university’s establishment.

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On medical education, Irinoye said the institution’s annual admission quota for its medical programme had increased from 50 to 120 students, while its students recorded an 86 per cent pass rate in the Part I MBBS examination.

She added that the university had provided a 450-room medical hostel to accommodate students, while other infrastructure projects were ongoing to strengthen teaching, learning and research.

The Vice-Chancellor disclosed that the university had signed a memorandum of understanding with PowerGen Renewable Energy for the development of a solar farm to address its electricity challenges.

Irinoye further disclosed that the university had approved the Federal Government’s new minimum wage for its staff.

She said the convocation lecture would be delivered by the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Dr Emomotimi Agama, on October 30, while honorary doctorate degrees would be conferred on the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo; Captain Edward Boyo; and Engr. Norbert C. Oleah on October 31.