Eruwa (Nigeria): Oyo State Government has restated its commitment to promoting technical and vocational education.
Acting Gov. Bayo Lawal said this on Friday in Eruwa during the combined convocation ceremony of the state-owned Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of the state.
The combined convocation covered the 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions.
Lawal noted that the present administration in the state recognised that education must be holistic to meet global standards, hence its commitment to advancing technical and vocational education.
Lawal, while underscoring the importance of information and communication technology and vocational skills in driving the state’s growth, assured that the government would continue to support the institution.
He said the support would come through adequate funding, infrastructure upgrades, and policies aimed at boosting the accreditation of courses and regularising part-time workers, among others.
He charged the graduating students to combine their academic certificates with strong character, integrity, and discipline, noting that these qualities remain essential as they enter the labour market.
“Though academic achievement is important, it must be complemented with moral strength and creativity to ensure long-term success,” he said.
In his welcome address, Dr Olugbade Akinteye, Rector of the Polytechnic, expressed appreciation to the state government for its consistent support of the institution.
Akinteye, who highlighted the institution’s achievements over the last three academic years, stated that the school had witnessed tremendous growth and progress under the Makinde-led administration.
He stated that the school was ranked the third-best polytechnic in Nigeria by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in 2024, as part of the National Tertiary Admission Performance Merit Award.
He further disclosed that, in the three years under view, the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) had also accredited both existing and new courses.
According to him, academic programmes such as Estate Management and Valuation, Marketing, Accountancy, Public Administration, and Fashion Design/Clothing Technology were not available at the Higher National Diploma (HND) level before, but are all currently available for study.
He appealed for more support from the government in terms of practical steps to regularise the appointments of existing part-time staff at the institution, thereby enhancing its workforce.