Posted on: Thu 18-02-2021

The National Universities Commission, NUC, has given approval to the Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu to proceed with its undergraduate degree programmes. A statement issued by Mr. Omololu Ogunmade, Head, Public Relations of the institution, stated that the approval has changed the status of the college which before now was a monotechnic, awarding only Higher National Diploma, HND, in Dental Technology and Therapy. According to the statement, the approval also included the expansion of the College academic programmes and the college will henceforth, in collaboration with the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, award degrees in various academic programmes accredited by NUC.

Ogunmade said “According to a letter dated February 10, 2021, the Commission authorised the relevant authorities to run these degree programmes in the precinct of the College with FUTO as its mentor, thus upholding the status of the College as an authorised degree awarding institution. “However, the recent authorisation of the College as a custodian of degree programmes was the fallout of National Assembly Act No.8 of 2017 which had hitherto empowered the College to award degrees and diplomas. 

“This legal framework, tagged Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy (Establishment) Act, 2017, propelled the affiliation of the College with FUTO after the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari on December 5, 2017. “The College consequently put the machinery in place to measure up to the new status accorded it by the Act as it proceeded to reorganise and restructure its programmes and system.” 

It was gathered that the College under the leadership of the Rector, Dr. John Emaimo, engaged no fewer than 21 PhD holders as lecturers, equipped its laboratories, clinics, and libraries in its aggressive drive to meet NUC’s requirements for its degree-awarding status which it eventually secured. Ogunmade further said that the College built state-of-the-art facilities including classrooms, offices as well as physical infrastructure. 

“The NUC’s approval which authorised the degree-awarding the status of the College followed the visit of a 12-man team to the school campus on December 14, 2020, on an assessment tour of the institution’s facilities.

“Led by Professor Tokunbo Akeredolu, the team at the end of the visit expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance of the College with laid down standards as well as the quality of infrastructure is put in place. “The team also commended the authority of the institution for what it described as its team spirit which it said had enabled it to achieve notable progress in recent times. 

But this laudable feat notwithstanding, College is not relenting yet in its avowed commitment to be formally ranked along with other federal universities in Nigeria.” Established in 1955 in Lagos by the Ordinance of the Queen of England, the school was relocated to Enugu in 1982.  

Source: Vanguard

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