The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Poly

  • One killed as poly students riot

    One student  has been reportedly killed by the police, while several  school buildings  were set ablaze following bloody riots by students of Fidel Polytechnic, Gboko,Benue State on Wednesday .

    The  Bursary department of the school  was completed razed, including the ranch where many cattle were killed .

    The crisis according to a source was as a result of the decision of the school authorities to continue with examinations while some students were on the queue to summit bank teller in exchange of school receipt .

    It was learnt that the students pleaded with the school authorities  that since they have paid their school fess in the bank and had their tellers , they should be allowed to sit for the examination and later summit the tellers , but the school authorities turned down the request .

    However, when the queue was not moving fast enough and  examination was going on , the atmosphere became charged and riots broke out.

    At press time, the policemen men drafted to the school were still battling to control the situation while students have been asked to vacate the premises .

    The students  however regrouped and set one tipper lorry ablaze and blocked the  Gboko- Aliade federal highway .

    The Police Spokesman DSP Moses Yamun said he was yet to get the report .

  • Offa Poly rectorship: Fed Govt orders probe into allegation against candidate

    Minister of Education Adamu Adamu has directed fresh probe into allegations against one of the three candidates eyeing the rectorship of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa in Kwara State.

    The three candidates already shortlisted for the job are Dr. Ayo Olaosebikan, Mr. Eghe Igbinehi and Dr. Lateef Olatunji.

    The candidates were in February this year screened and interviewed by both the school and in Abuja by the Ministry of Education, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Department of State Services (DSS).

    Adamu’s directive, it was gathered, was based on a petition forwarded to the minister by a group opposed to the candidature of one of the three.

    Sources revealed that the allegations came up last week as the Federal Government was about to name a substantive head for the institution.

    The development, it was learnt, forced the minister to direct the announcement of the approval to be put on hold and ordered an investigation into the allegations.

    The DSS was asked to do a thorough probe of the issues raised in the petition, particularly as it bothers on security.

    The minister was said to have called for the record of the three candidates. After verifying them, directed the polytechnic management to undertake a probe of the allegations and report back to the ministry this week.

    Spokesperson of the institution, Mr. Ladi Badmus, said he was not aware of such development and asked for time to confirm from his boss.

    Also, Registrar of the Polytechnic, AbdulHameed Raji, did not respond to calls or text messages sent to him to confirm the story.

  • EFCC to probe Ondo poly

    EFCC to probe Ondo poly

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to investigate the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State.

    Projects worth N263 million projects are to be looked into. This follows a petition by the Assembly of Concerned Staff of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic.

    The group, in a petition signed by its coordinator and secretary, Titus Igbayilaye and Sola Enikuomehin, listed the projects to include the N195m students’ online tuition fees payment and scratch cards.

    “A sum of N195 million, being school fees payment paid through online and scratch card payment by the students of the institution, could not be traced to the school account from 2014 till date. The money was however traced to another account that did not belong to the school management deliberately opened to defraud the institution,” the group alleged.

    The group also raised alarm on several projects alleging that that the projects were grossly-inflated.

    They want a probe of the N1750 each paid by 1600 students for an insurance scheme, the ICT building project and so on.

    When contacted, EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwjaren’s mobile telephone line was not available but a source within the commission, who craved anonymity because he was not designated to speak for the commission, said the EFFC would send a team of crack detectives to the institution.

  • ASUP seeks funding for poly

    The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori Rivers State chapter has called on Governor Nyesom Wike to encourage the institution through special intervention funding to improve the institution’s standard.

    They alleged that the previous administration was not committed to the development of the institution, urging Wike to be different.

    ASUP Chairman, Comrade Ferry Gberegbe, said: “The Governor should encourage our Rector through special intervention funding to turn things around.  Governor Wike has promised the dualisation of Sakpenwa- Bori road. We will like to see his commitment to this lofty project.  The fund owing the institution by the past government should be paid.

    “We thanked the Governor for the regular payment of salaries, but we need the payment of Christmas bonus alias 13th month salary to reward the workers loyalty. ASUP is still asking for the release of the proposed modern secondary school structure at Sakpenwa to the Polytechnic,” he said.

    Gberegbe, also thanked Wike for renaming the institution formerly called Rivers State Polytechnic.  He however said they looked forward to its conversion to a university of Petroleum Studies.

  • Ken Saro Wiwa Poly gets Ag Rector

    A new acting Rector has been appointed for Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic (KENPOLY) Bori, Rivers State. Dr. Georgewill Onengiye has been appointed  acting rector of the state owned polytechnic formerly known as Rivers State Polytechnics (RIVPOLY) .

    Onengiye, who is the second rector of the institution, takes over from Sir Obianko Nwolu-Elechi through an internal selection.

    The new rector, who hails from Akuku-Toro Local Government Area of Rivers State, was the Head of Computer Science Department and the former Director of Information Communication Technology (ICT), KENPOLY.

    Congratulating Onengiye, the chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), KENPOLY chapter, Comrade Ferry Gberegbe said members of the polytechnic community were happy about the appointment.

    He said it showed that Governor Nyesom Wike did not only respect their opinion, but respected the national policy on education. He urged Wike to address the issue of funding and release the three years outstanding subvention to the institution.

    He said: “Before now we were agitating, calling on Governor Wike to ensure that he did not appoint an outsider as the rector. With the appointment of Dr Onengiye as the new Acting Rector the polytechnic community is glad to celebrate the second internal rector of the institution.

    “We are aware of the new rector’s pedigree; with the support of the staff and the students of the institution we know he will not disappoint us. All he needs now is our prayer to take the institution to the greater height,” he noted.

     

  • Poly begins session after five-month break

    Poly begins session after five-month break

    Students of The Federal Polytechnic, Offa (OFFA POLY) in Kwara State have returned to the campus five months after the school went on break. Activities have since returned to the campus as freshers started registration, which would last for two weeks. Thereafter, returning students will register for their courses.

    A statement from the management stated that there would be penalty for students, who fail to register within the registration period. But, there would be one week extension for course registration, after which the school would penalise defaulters.

    When CAMPUSLIFE visited the registration centres last Friday, the building was besieged by students, who were moving from one office to another to beat the deadline. Some of them described the exercise as stressful, while others said there was improvement over last sessions.

    Hammed Bello, an HND II Mass Communication student, said: “The registration is stressful but I notice some improvements compared to what we had last session. In all, I am happy we are back to school after a long holiday.”

    A student of Library and Information Science, Precious Onyeche, said the registration was tough. Emmanuel Iyanda, an ND 1 Quantity Surveying, said: “The registration is tiring and stressful. I don’t know why we have to pass through this pain to get our courses registered. I am tired.”

    For Hannah Okelola, an ND II Office Technology and Management student, the resumption came at the wrong time. She said she was unhappy when the management announced the resumption, saying: “I am not financially buoyant this time.”

    But, Soliu Ahmed, an ND 1 Accountancy student, was happy after being admitted. He said: “Some have been looking forward to gain admission into higher institutions but do not have the privilege. I thank God I have a good future ahead of me.”

    Abdulazeez Adeoye, an ND II Mass Communication student, said: “I am excited to be back to school, because I have been playing around. It is over a month now that I completed Students’ Industrial and Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), but I did not engage in anything productive after that. I was at home, doing nothing.  This is why I am happy to return to school.”

  • Train job creators, Okowa tells poly teachers

    DELTA State Governor  Ifeanyi Okowa has challenged lecturers in polytechnic nationwide to lay emphasis on multi-disciplinary research and practical life skills to ensure that their products are job-creators.

    Okowa, who spoke on Tuesday while inaugurating the Governing Council of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, observed that the current education system where graduates look for paid employment is wrong.

    “We are deeply convinced that the solution to the massive youth unemployment that we are facing in the country, and especially in our state, lies not with certificate acquisition, but with skills building through technical cum vocational education,” Okowa stated.

    Okowa continued:  “Students must be taught and equipped with entrepreneurial skills, problem-solving abilities, principles of personal effectiveness, leadership development, business and crisis management, as well as current trends in business and ethics.

    “The development of technical education is at the core of our S.M.A.R.T agenda because we believe that until we get our youths to acquire the requisite technical and vocational skills, we are not building a future for them.”

    The governor said to this end, his administration has prioritized technical education.

    “No meaningful national development can be achieved without sound, qualitative technical education and in Delta State, three of our technical colleges are currently being rehabilitated and refocused to equip students with the knowledge and entrepreneurial skills for business, trade and commerce,” he said.

    He challenged the Governing Council and management of the institution to pay attention to improved curriculum and quality of teaching so as to equip students with the requisite mind-set and knowledge to excel in today’s rapidly changing world.

     

     

    Funkekeme Solomon is the Chairman of the Governing Council; while Mr Joe Adigwe, Mr Gabriel Alebe and Mrs Oti Agoba are members.

    In his response, Solomon thanked Governor Okowa for constituting the council. He assured that members would carry out their functions with diligence.

     

  • Students donate N.5m materials to poly

    Students donate N.5m materials to poly

    To complement government’s effort at enhancing quality education, students of the Faculty of Applied Sciences of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic in Owo (RUGIPO), Ondo State, have donated N.5m worth of equipment and furniture to the faculty.

    President of Association of Applied Science Students (ASAPSS), Femi Akinjisola, who led other executive members of the association to deliver the materials, explained that the gesture was to contribute to the academic progress of the polytechnic.

    At a colourful ceremony where the materials were handed over to the school, Femi called on other students’ associations to think of what they could do to complement the government’s efforts in making the school better.

    Reacting, the Acting Rector, Mr I.B. Ologunagba, hailed the students for the gesture, which he said would support the development agenda of the state government. The rector explained that the donated materials would help the school to reduce pressure on existing facilities in the faculty, as well as driving the Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) profile of the institution.

    He said: “We are happy this is happening in our time. Our students are really making great impact. The fact that this institution was adjudged the best state polytechnic in Nigeria in 2013 was as a result of our high education standard, quality of staff and students as well as the peaceful manner in which the affairs of the institution have been managed over years.”

    The Registrar, Mr P.T. Akinlabi, promised that the management would always strive to ensure mutual relationship among various stakeholders in the institution by paying prompt attention to the welfare of all and engaging in constructive dialogue to address differences.

    While unveiling the materials, the Dean of the faculty, Mr Gani Ogundahunsi, explained that as future leaders, students owed it a duty to be highly responsible, dedicated and patriotic as demonstrated by the Applied Science students. Rather than engaging in criminal activities, Ogundahunsi said students should channel their energy and resources to meaningful activities that could promote peace and wellbeing.

    The Registrar said he was amazed about the achievement of the ASAPSS executive despite having a short tenure, stressing that the world would be a better place if young people could contribute their quota to the development of the society they live in.

    Items donated included furniture, projector, laboratory hardware and consumables.

  • Ado Poly reschedules post-UTME test

    The Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, has rescheduled its post-UTME screening earlier scheduled to hold from today and Wednesday.

    A statement yesterday by the Polytechnic’s Deputy Registrar, Information, Ade Adeyemi-Adejolu, said the post-UTME will now begin from October 5 to October 9.

    The latest postponement, the statement said, was due chiefly to challenges experienced by many prospective candidates in possessing their e-transact PIN from banks.

    It said: “The rescheduling became imperative to enable a hitch-free preparation and successful conduct of the screening test.

    “We urge parents, guardians, and qualified candidates to note that the Computer-Based Test will now hold from October 5 to October 9 at the Polytechnic Digital Library.

    “Consequently, all interested candidates who are yet to complete their online application now have the opportunity to do so until midnight of Wednesday,  when the admission portal will be closed.”

  • Poly ignores court order on sacked workers

    Poly ignores court order on sacked workers

    The sacked workers of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, are yet to be reinstated two months afer Akure Appeal court gave judgment in their favour, it was learnt yesterday.

    On June 26, the court ordered the reinstatement of 15 of the 32 sacked workers after two years of legal battle.

    It based its ruling on a suit by the workers’ lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), on the fact that 15 of them were wrongfully sacked.

    But the polytechnic, which relieved the workers of their jobs on January 1, 2013, based its action on what it described as “reconstruction of the polytechnic”.

    A member of the polytechnic management, who spoke with The Nation in confidence, said the institution received the court order, but it was yet to reinstate the workers because its Governing Council had been dissolved by the government.

    He added that it was also difficult for the workers to be reinstated since the institution had no substantive rector, since its former rector, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, was asked by Governor Olusegun Mimiko to replace his younger brother, Prof. Femi Mimiko, as the vice-chancellor of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA).

    A lawyer, who represented Falana at the court,  Adedotun Osobu, decried the failure of the polytechnic to reinstate the sacked workers.

    Saying the court would force the polytechnic to comply, he cautioned the institution to stop hiding under the fact that its Governing Council had been dissolved.

    The polytechnic spokesman Samuel Ojo declined comments on the issue.