TARABA NURSING COLLEGE GRADUATES 930 HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS AT 2ND COMBINED CONVOCATION
…Provost hails Kefas’ interventions as College marks major academic milestone
The Taraba State College of Nursing Sciences, Jalingo, has graduated 930 students at its 2nd Combined Convocation Ceremony, marking another major milestone in the institution’s contribution to nursing education and healthcare manpower development in Taraba State.
The colourful ceremony brought together graduands, parents, academics, government officials, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to celebrate the successful completion of years of academic and clinical training by the new healthcare professionals.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Provost of the College, Dr. Mrs. Dorcas S. Dugule, congratulated the 930 graduands and charged them to uphold the discipline, ethics and professional standards expected of healthcare practitioners as they begin a new phase of their professional careers.
Dugule described the convocation as an important milestone in the growth of the College and expressed appreciation to the Taraba State Government for its interventions in the institution.
She particularly commended Governor Dr. Agbu Kefas for supporting infrastructural development at the College, citing the construction of lecture halls, perimeter fencing and other projects aimed at improving the teaching and learning environment.
According to the Provost, sustained investment in the College would strengthen its capacity to produce competent healthcare professionals capable of responding to the health needs of Taraba State and Nigeria at large.
Governor Kefas, who is Visitor to the state-owned tertiary institutions, was represented at the ceremony by the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. John Kizito Bonzena.
In his address delivered by the Speaker, the Governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening tertiary education and providing an enabling environment for institutions to deliver quality academic and professional training.
The Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hon. Dr. Mike Dio Jen, also congratulated the graduating students and challenged them to become worthy ambassadors of the College.
Dio Jen urged the graduands not to see the convocation as the end of their learning journey, but as the beginning of a professional career requiring continuous improvement in knowledge, competence and skills.
He also commended the state government for its continued support to tertiary institutions across Taraba State.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman of Tertiary Education and Vice-Chancellor of Taraba State University, Prof. Sunday Paul Bako, described convocation as both a celebration of academic accomplishment and a transition into greater responsibilities.
Bako disclosed that the Nursing College ceremony was the fifth in a series of combined convocations being conducted by state-owned tertiary institutions following a directive by Governor Kefas that outstanding convocation backlogs should be cleared.
According to him, some of the institutions had accumulated convocation backlogs over several years, making the Governor’s intervention particularly significant for graduates who had completed their studies but had not had the opportunity to participate in formal graduation ceremonies.
He disclosed that Taraba State University is expected to hold the sixth combined convocation ceremony.
Prof. Bako commended the state government for supporting the institutions despite the substantial financial and administrative requirements involved in organising the ceremonies.
Turning to the graduands, Bako reminded them that nursing and other healthcare professions carry enormous responsibilities because practitioners are entrusted with people’s health and lives.
He urged them to demonstrate competence, integrity, discipline and compassion in the discharge of their duties while continuously developing their professional knowledge and skills.
As part of the ceremony, Prof. Bako presented a plaque to the Provost, Dr. Dugule, on behalf of the Council, Management, staff and students of Taraba State University.
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The event also featured the presentation of awards to outstanding students, recognition of distinguished guests and cultural performances.
For the 930 graduands, the ceremony formally brought to a close years of intensive academic and clinical training while opening a new chapter in their journey into professional healthcare practice.
For the College, the 2nd Combined Convocation represents another significant step in its development as one of Taraba State’s key institutions responsible for producing nurses and other healthcare professionals needed to strengthen healthcare delivery within and beyond the state.
