The outgoing rector of the Polytechnic Ibadan, Professor Kazeem Adekunle Adebiyi, has cleared the coast concerning the recent agitation of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) of the institution’s chapter about the government choosing a new rector from within the system, saying it is a corporate directive that cannot be changed.
While he declared his support for the initiative, he said the decision had been presented to the governing council of the institution and it had been approved.
“It is what the council has approved that will be handed to the institution,” he stressed.
Recently, the ASUP chapter in the institution held a meeting, where it concluded that Professor Adebiyi would be the last professor the polytechnic would ever have. The union members requested that they wanted the next substantive rector chosen from within the system.
The rector spoke at a media chat with news men last Thursday, as part of the activities marking the end of his tenure. He expressed gratitude to the media for their support throughout the five years he and his team steered the ship of the institution.
“We are grateful to you for being our partners in progress and for working with us for the betterment of this institution, he said
He equally appreciated the state governor, Engr. SeyiMakinde for his support in the institution.
“When we came on board we were faced with a lot of challenges especially in the areas of accreditation and infrastructure development. We approached his Excellency for his intervention and he approved for us a sum of N200 million to pursue our accreditation processes. This kind gesture really assisted us to do accreditation for about 14 of our programmesthen.
“When we came on board he set the goal of paying salary on the 25th of every month, which we have been receiving and we have also been discharging effectively as an institution,” he said.
According to him, the crux of his team’s agenda when they came on board was to pursue academic and infrastructure development in the polytechnic, adding “all of these we were able to achieve by the grace of God and the support we received from the government.”
He added that among other reforms experienced in the institution in the past five years of his reign include the provision of an automated electioneering system for the students’ union elections, which he noted had culminated into a seamless electoral process among the students, against the violent-driven exercise it used to be..
“In terms of academic development, we were able to expand our operations by 11 additional programmes with the existing ones. When we came on board we met five faculties, but today it has been increased to six. We have also increased the number of our departments to 41, against the 32 that we have met.
“We also provided equipment in all our departments to enhance teaching and learning and other supporting units such as the advancement office and SERVICOM were also created. Majority of our staff are now Masters and PhD holders,” he added.
In the aspect of physical developments, he noted that his administration carried out a total of 78 projects some of which were sponsored and completed by the TETFund, with a few others by the Federal Government and other donors such as the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria(CIBN), National Insurance Commission(NIC); philanthropists and alumni of the institution.
He noted that about three or four are still ongoing, adding that “also, we were able to do a lot of collaborations both locally and internationally.”
While he appreciated the support of security agencies in the state, he said “we established relationships with all of these agencies; they were quick to assist us with all our security problems, carried out adequate surveillance and gave us recommendations on critical security issues.
Speaking on some of the challenges faced in the saddle, he said, apart from surmounting the challenges posed by students elections, the challenge of delayed results was also conquered, saying, we have put in place a smooth system that allows lecturers to input students’ result on the school’s portal and allow them to view them two weeks after their examinations.’
Stating that his administration enjoys a perfect relationship with both the academic and non-academic unions in the institution, he said “there was no major industrial strike by our unions in the last five years.”
The meeting had in attendance other members of the management team, namely the registrar, Mrs Theresa ModupeFawale; the immediate deputy rector of the institution, Mrs Olubunmi Olubamiwa; the incumbent deputy rector, Princess Olaide Salawu; former librarian, Dr Ajala Samuel; busar, MrAdebayo Ojetola and director of Works and Services Egnr Stephen Folorunsho Ipadeola
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