UNIPORT denies withholding results of 2,000 graduating students

The University of Port Harcourt has denied withholding the result list of over 2000 graduating students of the institution.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof Owunari Georgewill, made the denial during a news briefing at the university’s council chambers on Friday.

Prof Georgewill said all pending issues preventing students from graduating and proceeding for the compulsory National Youth Service Corps have been given executive attention.

He said, “In the media, in the past three days, some students have been talking about 2000 students that have been on the graduating list that has not been released. “Please take it out from here that there was no such list. There is no waiting list anywhere. This administration ensures that every result that is ready, the Vice Chancellor, executively approves that result to wait whenever Senate is called. “So, there is no result anywhere we have left. What is the result waiting for? The Vice Chancellor is there to approve all results.”

While advising students, who are still having issues with graduation to approach their various departments with proof of their outstanding courses cleared, the VC said claims in a section of the media that some results were not released were false.

“I have interacted with some of them (students), even on social media and I have told them to go to their departments. I asked one of the students if she had seen her spreadsheet or know her Cumulative Grade Point and she said she had not seen. “So, I asked how she knew she had finished the programme, and she said her course adviser told her that she had graduated. The issue is that some students have not gone to their departments to even see whether they are owing courses or not,” Prof Georgewill said.

In another development, the VC announced that UNIPORT has emerged 4th among Nigerian universities ranked by Webometric, a reputable international ranking organization. Prof Georgewill explained that based on the parameters used in the ranking, the university had taken a leap upward from 5th in 2022 to 4th in 2023.

He attributed the feat to a collaborative effort of the management team and stakeholders, pointing out that the institution will not rest on its laurels until it becomes the best citadel of learning in the country.

He stated, “This is a kind of global ranking that consist of some parameters. And if you look at the current result, the indexes on openness, as in being known by people that the University exist, the University of Port Harcourt ranks number first.

“On openness, it ranks first, higher that the university that took overall first. Also, the index of excellence, we are still number one. But we have a challenge on impact. We are a bit low on impact. Therefore, going forward, this university will do all it can to make sure we improve on our impact rating.”