The Provost, College of Health Technology, Ilesa, Osun State, Dr. Lateef Raheem has disclosed that the non-accreditation of some of its Higher Diploma Courses is the reason behind students’ agitation for the mandatory National Youth Service.
Speaking with Newsmen in Ilesa on Friday, Dr Raheem said he has refused many temptations to mobilise students of some departments of the 47-year-old college for the NYSC scheme illegally.
According to him, some students of the Dental Therapists department out of impatient attempted to lure the college to allow them to attend the NYSC scheme illegally using a certificate of Environment studies, which has full accreditation for NYSC.
“Some of our students were taken to JAMB before I assumed office and I learnt that some from the department of Therapist were given mobilisation letters but I refused to mobilise them. They wanted to collect certificates of Therapists and go to NYSC for environmental studies.
“I told them that rather than involving myself in illegality, I would rather commit to facilitating the accreditation of their course but they said no I should sign their letters and allow them to get a certificate from the environmental department.
Upon informing the Ministry of Health and the House of Assembly, they warned me not to do it.
“Presently, in a bid to sort their situation, I’ve written the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, for resource accreditation for HND, which I believe is the normal route to take.
“I have also ensured that the department of Environmental Studies gets proper accreditation and the students are now going for the NYSC scheme. I plead with every stakeholder to cooperate with the school to thread the part of honour, rather than joining the bandwagons”.
He also urged the Federal Government to include mono-technics among beneficiaries of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Tetfund, to facilitate academic excellence in the schools as well.
