Dental College Matriculates 4,321 Students

Federal College of Dental Technology and Therapy, Enugu, Wednesday matriculated 4,321 fresh students for various degree and diploma programmes in different faculties and departments of the College for 2020/21 and 2022/23 sessions.

The event, which was the combined 2020/21 and 2022/23 matriculation ceremony of the institution, was also the 67th and 68th matriculation of the College.

According to a statement by the public relations officer of the institute, Omololu Ogunmade, the ceremony was combined because last year’s matriculation could not hold because of the prolonged strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

In his matriculation speech, the rector, Prof. John Emaimo, who expressed his pleasure to welcome the students to campus, disclosed that the students’ admission process was highly competitive adding that of the 3,417 applicants who applied for admissions in 2021/2022 session through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), only 2,760 were admitted.

The rector who was represented by deputy rector (Academics), Dr. Obiora Eke, disclosed that whereas 2,196 applicants applied for admission through the UTME in the 2022/23 session, only 1,561 of them were admitted, describing the matriculating students as lucky.

While congratulating the students, Emaimo acquainted the matriculating students with the commitment of his administration to make the college a world class institution with the capacity to raise highly skilled personnel who will make a difference in the society.

He said, “It is with utmost delight that I welcome you today to the 2022/23 matriculation of our fresh students. This occasion is significant because it is a platform through which qualified students are formally admitted into this institution. It may interest you to know that no fewer than 3,417 applicants applied for admissions for various Degree and Diploma programmes of this college in the 2021/2022 session, out of which only 2,760 were admitted.

“In the same vein, whereas 2,196 applicants applied for admission in the 2022/23 session through the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), only 1,561 of these were admitted. You can see how lucky you are. I therefore congratulate you on your successful admission which was a product of a competitive selection process.

“In the past six years since I assumed office as the rector of this institution, we have worked very hard to reposition this college to serve as a veritable platform for the training of highly skilled personnel with the capacity to compete effectively globally. Not only have we expanded our academic programmes from two to nine within this period, we have equally upgraded a number of our academic programmes from diploma to degree status.”