The Zonal Director, National Board for Technical Education(NBTE), Mr Olubode Majiyagbe, has commended the management of Crown Polytechnic, Odo, Ado-Ekiti, in Ekiti State on the provision of entrepreneurial skills to students even as he advised the institution to ensure commercialization of the centre to outsiders to generate more income.
Majiyagbe said this on Wednesday during an inspection of the centre while on advocacy visit to the Polytechnic, a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Stephen Ajagbe, said.
The Zonal Director was accompanied by an Administrative Officer of the Board, Mr Abejide Gbenga.
He said the main reason for the visit was to intimate the polytechnic of the establishment of NBTE Zonal offices in Nigeria, one of which is the Southwest Zonal office which he is heading.
Majiyagbe noted that the step taken by NBTE would bring the board closer to institutions in the South West to be able to channel all their complaints, requests, and correspondence through the Zonal office currently located at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos at ease instead of sending it directly to the headquarters of the NBTE in Kaduna.
He said the present world is focused on hands-on skills, adding that every graduate must be able to practicalize what they study in school so as not to be left behind.
According to him, one of the new products of NBTE is National Skill Acquisition (NSA), which he encouraged all stakeholders to key into.
According to him, part of the requirements to operate is the establishment of an entrepreneurial centre.
“One of the things students are to learn there is hands-on skills apart from the academic work they are doing,” he said.
He therefore enjoined the polytechnic to key into the innovation as it would give graduates alternatives rather than just the academic certificates obtained in school, while students are expected to be job providers upon graduation rather than job seekers.
He stated further, “Most of the mechanics, plumbers, tailors and others who some people do not regard are very important to our immediate community and we cannot do without them. The beauty of the NSA programme is that it attach importance to behaviour while carrying out their job. The programme seeks to stand them out among other practitioners.”
Responding, the Rector of the polytechnic, Mr Kolawole Ajisola, said the polytechnic was licensed on 8th January 2008 and has been living up to the standard of providing quality education and developing skills.
He said graduates of Crown Polytechnic have been participating in the compulsory NYSC scheme.
Mr Ajisola noted that the institution has established entrepreneurial centers over 5 years ago and has been training the students in skills acquisition.
“We have functional fashion designing unit, barbing and hairdressing, make-up, plumbing, carpentry & furniture, fishery, and others for our students. We do award them certificates after being certified fit for the skills.”
He said all the programmes in Crown Polytechnic are accredited and the process of re-accreditation of those that will be due in 2022 has already started.
While stating the challenges of the institution, Ajisola said one of them is funding. He said the Proprietor of the institution, Mr Clement Olufemi Ajisola, is the sole financier of the school.
He therefore advocated the inclusion of private institutions into the TETFUND programme to be able to benefit from the scheme, rather than just focusing on government institutions alone.
The Rector also said that NBTE should look into the delay in payment of SIWES allowances to students. He said most of them who completed the programme usually wait for like a year or two before receiving their allowances, a menace that should be curbed.
According to him, SIWES students should be able to get their allowance while preparing for the programme as it is meant to take care of the students during the programme.
The Registrar of the institution, Dr. Julius Olaitan Akinwumi, who gave the vote of thanks appreciated the team for visiting the institution.
Also present at the event are the Bursar of the school, Mrs. Funmilola Omoniyi; Librarian, Mr Nkem Darlington; Director, Academic Planning, Mr J.T Asubiojo; and Director, Quality Assurance, Alhaji Hameed Bakare.