Stakeholders support conversion of MAPOLY to varsity

Say conversion overdue

• Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Suraju Adekumbi

Stakeholders in the education sector have described the bill seeking to convert Moshood Abeokuta Polytechnic (MAPOLY) to a university of technology as advancement of learning in the sector.

The stakeholders who lauded the development said the conversion will encourage the advancement of learning, research and provision of unhindered access to academic attainments.

They also noted the upgrade of MAPOLY to university was long overdue, while extolling the initiative of the present administration at bringing education to the door steps of people of the state.

The stakeholders who spoke at a public hearing of the bill as well as the bill seeking to establish Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia at the Ogun State House of Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on Thursday assured that the two new institutions would bring about more growth and development in the education sector.

The two executive bills are “HB. No. 10/OG/2017- A bill for a law to provide for the Establishment of Moshood Abiola University of Technology and for matters of Administration and Discipline of Students Connected Therewith” and “HB No. 11/OG/2017- A bill for a law to provide for the Establishment, Incorporation, Constitution and Functions of the Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia and for other matters Incidental Thereto or Connected Therewith”.

The stakeholders include State Commissioner for Education, Modupe Mujota; MAPOLY Rector, Prof. Oludele Itiola; State Attorney General, Olumide Ayeni represented by Director of Legal Drafting in the Justice Ministry, Mr. Olusegun Olaotan and Vice-Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education, Prof. Yemisi Obilade, represented by Adeniyi Ogundipe.

Other stakeholders include Ambassador Olusola Abolurin from Ipokia; an alumnus of MAPOLY, Sulaiman Fasasi; representatives Proprietors of Private Schools from Ipokia, Sanni Apata; representative of Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, (ANAN), Augustine Okusanya.

Many of the stakeholders however raised observations on the proposed name for the school in a way to accommodate every other courses offered by the institution.

Mujota called the attention of the meeting to an online publication quoting the Federal Government banning courses that are not connected with specialised university but are being run in the same institution .

Mujota however advised the House to do a thorough investigation on the said online report before their decision adding that the
executive would favour a wider approach to the whole matter.

She said, “It was an online article whose veracity still needs to be proven that stated that the Federal Government banning unauthorised courses in specialised universities, if you go for specialisation, you must be careful about the courses you offer so as not to become a problem in the nearest future.

“It’s up to the House, my role is to give counsel and the counsel has been given based on the seeming fact and it will depend on their own findings as they investigate the source of the publication and if found to be true, I trust the house to act responsibly.

“What we want as a government is to have a wide birth and I am sure whatever would provide that platform is what we will favour.”

Chairman, Academic Staff Union of the Polytechnic, Kola Abiola also raised concern as to the fate of other courses that are not technology-ioriented suggesting a school of technology and business administration.

Fasasi, an alumnus of the institution allayed the fare of the staff of the Institution advising that inclusion of ‘science’ in the name to read ‘Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology’ would take care of the agitation of the workers.

Fasasi said the institution had ever been ready for a university status in terms of the manpower, academic excellence and unprecedented infrastructural transformation of the School.

According to him, apart from graduates of Mass Communication department that are seen across media houses all over the country, the number of student Chattered Accountants at the National Diploma level outweighs staff strength of many institutions.

They also enjoined the host communities of the proposed state institutions to complement government efforts at ensuring the successful take-off by being peaceful and be ready to make the necessary sacrifice.

They assured that Ipokia was ready to accommodate the new polytechnic and ensure its immediate establishment as there was a ready-made structure that could serve as its temporary site, which they noted would engender more development to Ogun West Senatorial district.

Declaring the stakeholders’ forum open, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Suraju Ishola Adekunbi, represented by his Deputy, Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, explained that establishment of the institutions would act as catalysts for the attainment of training, research and innovation for the effective growth, economic utilisation, exploitation and conversation of the country’s natural, economic and human resources for the overall development of the State and the nation.

Adekunbi stated that the initiatives were parts of the efforts of the present administration to put in place an enduring legacy for the benefits of the people.

According to him, the state was undergoing transformation in all facets of life in spite of the present economic recession in the nation, saying that the vision of the present administration was to expand the coverage of tertiary institutions in the State with a view to creating additional opportunity for the teaming youths aspiring to further their education.

Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Hon Victor Fasanya, said the development would create room for admission seekers across the nation to access quality higher education.

He also assured that the Assembly would give the bills accelerated passage.

Speaking to Press Club MAPOLY shortly after the forum, Professor Itiola assured the staff of the institution that all of them will be adequately taken care of. He urged them not to be afraid of the development.

His words, “before now we have been encouraging them to upgrade their certificates but even at that there is no cause for alarm, it is not a time to ridicule anyone we would adequately take care of every staffs’ welfare. 

“I want to assure the staffs that I am aware of their agitations but I am saying to them now, that they should keep their minds at rest and expect adequate welfarism,” Itiola added.