VC laments students’ lowpreference for agriculture

By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI— Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, FUTO, Owerri, Professor Celestine Onwuliri, has expressed concern over low preference of students for agriculture.

Prof. Onwuliri, who spoke at a briefing in Owerri, also said catchment consideration would play dominant role in the admission of students into FUTO for the next academic session.

He said it was most unfortunate that Nigerian students now avoid studies in agriculture, especially considering the current global food scarcity and the contending need to produce bio-fuels from agricultural produce.

“Nigeria with vast potentials in agriculture needs to take urgent steps to re-direct the interests of our youths to agriculture and agricultural studies,” Professor Onwuliri said.

He said 11,343 of the 23,428 students who registered for the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, screening of the university were from Imo State.

According to him, Imo State fielded 51.85% of the candidates, Abia, 2,606 or 11.91% and Anambra, 2,390 or 10.92%.

Onwuliri equally disclosed that 92 candidates were involved in miscellaneous examination misconducts, which included impersonation, use of cell phones, calculators and other irregularities.