Rector of the Federal College of Dental Technology, Enugu, Prof. John Emaimo, has lamented the school’s inability to access tertiary education fund (TETFUND), saying it is a major setback to the realisation of its mandate.
Briefing reporters in Enugu on the 2023 combined convocation of the college, Emaimo said federal institutions should automatically qualify to access the fund but lamented that the reverse has been the case.
“We, therefore, call on all appropriate authorities and lovers of education who desire the kind of revolution that we are currently spearheading to bridge existing gaps in the areas of manpower development, health and education sectors to come to our aid. Individuals and philanthropists are also called upon to support our quest for exclusive manpower development,” he said.
Emaimo said the college, established in 1955, remained the only institution in Nigeria offering Ordinary National and Higher National Diploma, as well as Dental Technology, and recently elevated her programmes to degree awarding institution.
“We are glad to inform you that the first set of our degree students in Dental Technology, Biomedical Engineering and Public Health are among the graduands at this forthcoming convocation.
“The courses we offer are unique because only few institutions offer such programmes. Our first set of Prosthetics and Orthotics students will graduate next year. Prosthetists and orthotists are restorative health professionals who design and fabricate orthopaedic appliances used to replace missing body parts, either through accidents or irredeemable health conditions.”
“We also offer Social Work, where we train professionals who offer psycho-social services in hospitals, hospices, internally displaced people’s (IDP) camps, asylum and the like. Social Workers help victims of depression and psychological trauma to adjust to disease diagnosis, trauma, hospitalisation and other forms of crises with a view to rehabilitating and reintegrating them. These are all degree programmes that are not found in every institution,” he added.
He said the combined convocation is not a mere tradition but “a gathering of champions who will be shot into the world to make a difference in certain areas of the health sector often challenged by shortage of personnel.”
According to him, the college has also focused on infrastructural development in recent times, bearing in mind that conducive environments influence learning.
“Learning goes hand in hand with infrastructure provision as no suitable learning can be achieved in an environment devoid of requisite facilities. That is why we have not only continuously equipped our laboratories and clinics, we have also built more. We, as an institution, are committed to our goals and objectives and we leave no stone unturned in achieving this,” he stated.
