By Nkechinyere Ewa
The Vice-Chancellor of David Umahi university of health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, Prof. Jesse Uneke has revealed that the institution’s student population has grown from just 26 students at inception to over 3,700 within four years.
Uneke disclosed this on Saturday during the university’s 5th matriculation ceremony held at the institution in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
He explained that the university commenced full academic activities in January 2022 with only 26 students after it was approved by the federal government and listed on the admission portal of joint adimission and matriculation.
According to him, the student population rose to 701 by January 2023 due to the increasing confidence of parents and guardians in the institution.
The Vice-Chancellor added that the university currently has about 3,759 students across its various faculties and departments, describing the growth as remarkable for a relatively young institution.
Uneke attributed the rapid expansion to high academic standards, the recruitment of qualified lecturers, and the digitalization of the university’s academic processes.
He said the institution has fully digitized its operations, including admission screening, examination processes and financial transactions, adding that students are also granted access to international research databases.
According to him, the university’s goal is to ensure that every student graduates with access to at least 300 electronic textbooks in their field of study to strengthen research and academic excellence.
The Vice-Chancellor, however, appealed to the Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu to support the institution with solar power infrastructure to complement its existing electricity supply system and improve learning conditions on campus.