The Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji Ondo State, FEDPOLEL, will hold its maiden convocation today Thursday even as the management announced plans to start running Higher National Diploma, HND, programmes.
This was disclosed by the institution’s Rector, Prof Emmanuel Adedayo Fasakin during a press conference at the institution’s permanent site, Ile Oluji.
He said that the HND programmes would be run in five courses with which the polytechnic took off with National Diploma (ND) programmes in the 2016/2017 academic session.
They are Accountancy, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical/Electronic Engineering and Statistics.
Besides, he added that the institution would start admitting students from the 2019/2020 academic session into additional seven ND programmes newly accredited by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE.
These are Science Laboratory Technology, Civil Engineering Technology, Agricultural Technology, Agricultural and Economic Cooperatives, Fisheries Technology, Architecture and Architectural Technology, and Business Administration and Management.
At the convocation, 291 students constituting the first two sets of the institution’s students, would be conferred with their national diplomas. They include 141 for the 2017/2018 pioneering set and 150 for the 2018/2019 set.
The breakdown shows that 39 are passing out with distinction, while 91 had upper credit; there were 119 with lower credit, and 42 with pass.
Highlights of the ceremonies would include the commissioning of nine “legacy projects” including administrative building, ceremonial gatehouse, Engineering building, twin auditoria, polytechnic lavatory, ceremonial road, ICT building, 7.5MVA electrical sub-station, and a block of classrooms and laboratories facilitated by Hon Mayowa Akinfolarin.
Fasakin also listed a total of 19 ongoing or completed projects as part of his administration’s achievements.
They include access road, electricity, auditoria, administrative block, School of Engineering Faculty block, furniture installation, library, 500kva generator, two vehicles, fabrication workshop and ceremonial gatehouse.
Others are laboratory equipment provision, School of Industrial and Applied Science block, School of Business and Management Technology block, Engineering workshop, block of ten male and female lavatory and 500 seater ICT complex.
Projecting into the future, the Rector said: “There is no doubt that the Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji has fully taken off and has come to stay in spite of the daunting pioneering challenges. If this spate of development is sustained, the polytechnic will surely emerge as best amongst its equals in the nearest future.
Our projections for the next four years are consequently as follows: institutional framework; academic development; personnel development; financial matters; and physical and infrastructural development.”
He added: “There is no doubt that it has been over four years of concerted efforts, sleepless nights and sacrifices of personal energyand resources to ensure the Polytechnic stands strong at all times. To the glory of God, the Polytechnic is now standing strong.”
Reacting to questions, Fasakin said that the institution has zero tolerance for cultism, stressing: “We have zero tolerance for cultism and other vices. We have rusticated two students. No cultism can thrive here and no cultist can exist here. Once we establish the fact that you are a cultist, you are gone.”
He said that the institution is collaborating through linkage programmes with some prominent international and national institutions.
Minister of State for Education, Chief Emeka Nwajuba; Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN; NBTE Chairperson, Prof Mrs. Modupe Adelabu; NBTE Executive Secretary, Dr. Mas’udu Adamu Kazaure; Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, Prof Sulaiman Bogoro; National Assembly members; royal fathers; and top government officials among others are expected to grace the convocation ceremonies.