By Tunde Olofintila
Impressed by the quality of Nursing Education on offer in Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, and its state-of-the-art facilities, the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, has increased the admission quota of Nursing to 300 in the 15-year-old university.
Over the years, ABUAD, ranked by Times Higher Education Impact Rankings as No. 1 in the World in SDG 7, No. 1 in the World in Outreach with a score of 98%, No. 1 in the World in Stewardship with a score of 98.2%, No. 1 among all the 264 Federal, State, and Private universities in Nigeria for three consecutive years: 2022, 2023 and 2024 and No. 4 in Africa as well as No. 142 amongst the 2,152 universities ranked globally in 2024, has consistently been recording 100% Pass Rate in its all-encompassing Nursing Examinations where its students graduate with four different certificates: Bachelor of Nursing Science, (B. NSc), Nigerian Registered Nursing (NRN) Certificate, Nigerian Registered Midwife (NRM) Certificate, and Registered Public Health Nursing (RPHN) Certificate.
The cheering news was contained in a letter with Reference Number NMCN/REG/RO/DN/026/VOL.1/29 dated July 18, 2024, signed by the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Dr. Faruk Umar Abubakar, FWAPCNM, and addressed to the Founder & Chancellor of ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, OFR, CON, SAN, FKC.
In the letter titled “Increase in students’ enrolment into the Faculty of Nursing, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State”, Abubakar said: “The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria sincerely commends your efforts and commitment to promoting and maintain excellence in Nursing Education and Practice”.
He added: “Afe Babalola University is one of the standout institutions with several highly qualified (Nursing) Lecturers who provide high-quality Nursing Education to the students. The university has well-equipped facilities and resources, including Clinical sites for effective practical training experience for students.
“Leveraging on these strengths, I am pleased to inform you officially of the increase in students’ enrollment to 300 (from190) students into the Nursing Programme of the Faculty of Nursing, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The Council is confident that the dedicated Faculty at ABUAD will effectively accommodate this increase while maintaining the high regulatory standards expected”.
According to the Nursing & Midwifery Council boss, the increase in the enrollment is in line with the “renewed hope” agenda of the present administration to provide a valuable opportunity to meet the growing demand for Nurses in the healthcare sector by providing more graduates to the Nursing workforce.
In addition, the increase in admission quota will expand access to Nursing education for aspiring individuals in the larger society.
Reacting to the increase in admission quota for the university’s Nursing programme, Babalola expressed delight that the university, which has overshot its expectations in all ramifications, is living to his vision of establishing a university that will institutionalize quality and functional education, teach Nigerians how a university properly so-called should be run and raise a new generation of leaders that will change the society for the better.
* Olofintila, ABUAD’s Director, Corporate Affairs, writes from Ado-Ekiti.
