By Matthew Denis
No fewer than 6,614 new students were matriculated by the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State for the 2018/2019 academic year.
Speaking at the 25th matriculation ceremony of the institution on Tuesday, the rector of the institution, Dr. Lateef Olatunji, said that pressure mounted by parents and guardians over 2018/2019 admission exercise forced the management to organise the ceremony ahead of other institutions.
Olatunji, who said that the matriculation ceremony marked end of the admission exercise for the academic session, added that about 2,400 full time Higher National Diploma (HND) students, 2,214 full time National Diploma (ND) students and over 2,000 part-time students were admitted.
The rector said that the institution was among most sought after due to its stable academic calendar, adding that all its programmes were fully accredited at ND and HND levels with seasoned lecturers.
He said “we were recently ranked 8th position in the latest pilot ranking and assessment of 112 federal, state and private polytechnics in Nigeria by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
He noted that the curriculum of the polytechnic is geared towards national manpower needs and one that will make the graduates self independent and job creators.
“The polytechnic has an entrepreneurship development centre that trains students in practical skills that will be beneficial to them apart from their courses of studies”.
Talking on the impending strike action by the ASUP, Dr. Olatunji charged academic unions in the country to change their orientation, saying the government and unions should embrace dialogue.
