23rd July, 2010
The 46th President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Major General Sebastian Owuama (retd.) has expressed sadness over low participation of students of eastern extraction, in the professional examinations of the Institute.
Owuama who was in Enugu for the 5th Annual Eastern Districts Conference, made the declaration while addressing students of the University of Nigeria (Enugu Campus), Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT) and Institute of Management and Technology (IMT). He added that if something urgent is not done, the end may be disastrous for the region.
He said the eastern zone of the country which was hitherto noted for its pace-setting role in education and civilization, has now come last in educational pursuit due to lackadaisical attitudes of both the parents and the students.
“It is saddening to note that students of from the eastern parts of the country are not embracing professional examinations that can boost their future success in life. I want to reiterate to you that first degree is not enough in this present day Nigeria. You need professional qualifications. I wonder why students from the east are lagging behind in ICAN examinations enrolment.â€
“The future is in your hands. Could you imagine that candidates who participated in ICAN examination at the last diet in Kaduna Centre alone were more than candidates from all the eastern states joined together? It worries me anytime I realized this?â€
While calling on the students to refocus their attention to worthwhile ventures, Owuama urged them to leave material things for now in order to pursue a better future for themselves. He also disclosed that the newly reviewed syllabus of the Institute is more student-friendly as papers passed at each sitting are credited for the student, saying that only failed papers would be retaken.
Aside this, the ICAN President encouraged the students to make use of the study packs made available by the Institute to boost their passing chances.