Kogi Govt Pledges More Funding As State Poly Matriculates 6,387 Students

Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja has matriculated 6,387 students for the 2022/2023 academic session. This comprises 4,786 National Diploma (ND) and 1,601 Higher National Diploma (HND) students.

Speaking at the 30th matriculation of the institution, the state commissioner for education (science and technology), Hon Wemi Jones, said the state government remains committed to revamping education in the state.

He added that the state government is committed to the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and stressed that the study of STEM has taken pride of place in the state’s education sector system under Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration.

Jones added that the state government has also paid much attention to the issues of vocational education with the establishment of GYB Model Science Secondary Schools in the state, and disclosed that the present administration inherited four moribund Technical Colleges. He said work is currently ongoing to revamping the state’s technical colleges with Idah Technical College nearing completion and remodelling.

The commissioner explained that the remodelling of the technical colleges, is aimed at bringing students into the polytechnic system to be trained in technical and vocational studies.

The commissioner congratulated the rector of the polytechnic, Dr Salisu Usman Ogbo,  for manning the institution with dexterity, adding that with the efforts of Dr Ogbo, the state government is confident that it can go to sleep with two eyes closed owing to his excellent way of running the polytechnic.

In his address, the rector, Kogi State Polytechnic, Dr Salisu Usman Ogbo said the Polytechnic has grown steadily as an institution on the academic front, explaining that the credibility of existing programmes of the institution has also been strengthened as evidenced in the full accreditation.

Ogbo said the polytechnic has commenced programmes in the school of Agriculture Technology, as well as the establishment of a Department of Mass Communication. He said the salient mission of the polytechnic is to build an environment conducive to group and independent learning.

In his goodwill message, the vice chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja, Prof Akinwumi Olayemi, said it is a fact that positive influence has been made on several Kogi youths through the Kogi State Polytechnic and under the leadership of Ogbo.

In a matriculation lecture delivered by Dr Joel Akowe, dean of School of Management Studies, he described the human society as one built on morals. He said the essence of the academic environment is to turn raw materials into finished products.