The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’allah, has declared that students who intend to study in the university must undertake and present a drug test before admission.

Na’allah, who made this known at the university’s 27th pre-convocation briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, said the institution is working with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to help students involved in drug abuse and to rehabilitate them.

He said the drug status of students is important in order to help students to be free from drugs.

The UniAbuja VC stated that the students would not be sent out from the institution if involved in drug abuse, but rather be rehabilitated in collaboration with the NDLEA.

The Vice-Chancellor also disclosed that 7,128 students would be graduating at the school’s convocation slated for Saturday, October 7.

Na’allah listed those that would be graduating to also include 100 PhDs, 326 academic Masters, and 346 Professional Masters.

He said 40 students would be graduating with First Class, 474 with Second Class Upper, 944 Second Class Lower, 174 with 3rd Class, and one Pass degree.

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The VC, however, said the university had banned Pass degree.

Na’allah added that UniAbuja would also confer Honorary Doctorate Degree of Letters on Prof. Toyin Falola of the University of Texas, Houston, for his role in the development and growth of the institution and other African universities.

The Vice-Chancellor also explained that the institution would be introducing Russian Language as part of the general courses that students must pass before graduating.

This, he said, is to make new knowledge available to students.

Na’allah added: “The university has developed into a global university with the offering of different languages, which include Japanese, French, and Portuguese, among others.

“Efforts are though being made to bring in full some of the foreign languages as degrees programmes but the university has made it compulsory in General Studies that every student must study and pass a foreign language before graduation.

“We are going to offer Russian language in addition to the foreign languages we offer. Students are made to offer and pass one of these foreign languages.”

He also disclosed that the National Universities Commission (NUC) had approved 26 new academic programmes for the university.

The UniAbuja Vice-Chancellor said the university will offer some of the new courses starting from the 2023/2024 academic session.

The courses, according to him, include Nursing, Communication and Media Studies, Pharmacy, Tourism and Hospitality, and Agricultural Engineering, among others.

The Star