Michael Babatunde
The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has promised to assist Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in getting back to its rightful position.
The institution had been shattered by the upgrade brouhaha which had plagued it with strikes and protests.
In a bid to re-stabilize Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta following the pronouncement of Ogun State government that returned the institution to status-quo-ante National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Chairman Governing Board, Prof. (Mrs) Modupe Adelabu, pledged the support.
Prof Adelabu who was on a working visit to MAPOLY said NBTE will support MAPOLY and ensure it takes back its rightful position as a front running polytechnic in the country, noting that re-accreditation and accreditation exercises of existing & upcoming programmes are done in line with the available standard resources.
Prof Adelabu stated that polytechnic education is the future of Nigeria because the programmes, research and practical projects offered in such institutions would answer the many challenges of sustainable development goals in the country.
She disclosed that Federal Government of Nigeria was ready to finance vocational and technical education having secured support of World Bank and other reputable agencies towards technical education.
While commending the management, staff and students of MAPOLY for the smooth and steady running of academic activities despite the turbulent times it had gone through, the NBTE boss urged the institution to continue to deliver in line with its mandates.
Awed by the over seventy number of doctorate degree holders in the polytechnic, Prof Adelabu enjoined them to attend peer reviewed and international conferences and write qualitative academic papers, to improve their productivity.
The rector of MAPOLY, Dr. Samson Odedina earlier said though the institution was faced with some challenges in the past two years pointed that the polytechnic’s accreditation was never withdrawn and the location was not changed from Abeokuta.
While appreciating the government for the support it has offered the institution, Dr. Odedina called for cooperation of NBTE in considering the proposal of MAPOLY for accreditation of new courses and the old which are due for re-accreditation.