By Charles Abere
About seven hundred students have benefited from the scholarship programme of the Ajayi Polytechnic, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State.
The Founder, Dr Busayo Ajayi, in his address during the first combined convocation of two hundred and sixty-three students and sixth Founder’s Day Celebration of the institution, said the school would continue to support parents with low income by making more scholarships available this session and that by the next academic year, the programme would be extended to another one thousand students.
He remarked that as part of the Polytechnic’s efforts to enrich learning experience of the students, all the undergraduates were enlisted to participate in the SIWES programme. This, he reiterated is to enable them acquire practical experience and better understanding of their various disciplines.
“The Polytechnic successfully played host to accreditation team from NBTE, accompanied by members of different professional bodies such as COREN, ICAN, the Computer Society, etc. We got NBTE approval to run our courses online, indicating that our students can study from anywhere”.
Dr Ajayi added that following foundations laid in the previous sessions, the efforts will be focused on improving on these areas to engender more innovation, development and nation-building.
He urged the students to “dare to dream” as they enter new stage in life. And not to allow the opinions of others to determine their steps and actions. The Founder reminded that the power to make an impact in this generation must be attained.
Representative of Ekiti State governor, an Executive Secretary from the State’s Scholarship Board, Mrs Bosede Jegede noted that the training acquired would go a long way in shaping their lives and ensuring that they impact positively on Nigeria through their various human endeavour.
She expressed the commitment of the state government to ensuring continued development of education in every facet.
Chairman, Governing Council of the Polytechnic, Prof. Michael Alonge described the occasion as an avenue to reflect on achievements, challenges, prospects and strategies for the realization of the polytechnic’s goal in the near future. He appreciated the effort of the management of the institution for breaking new grounds through promotion of entrepreneurship and skills acquisition-driven education which according to him is the primary goal of the Founder in setting up the school.
Prof. Alonge pledged that the governing council under his leadership would continue to work with the polytechnic management to raise the bar of academic excellence, thereby becoming a point of reference among communities in Nigeria and the world.
The Rector, Dr Bolanle Ajayi identified some of the achievements of the institution as building and completion of Michael Akinola Ajayi Memorial Hall, completion of cafeteria, construction of hostel accommodation, renovation of administrative building, establishment of entrepreneurship unit which comprises graphic design, phone repairs, laptop repairs, baking and cooking, cosmetology, fashion designing among others.
She however said despite the achievements,the institution is bedeviled by the following challenges: Standard e-library with adequate books and learning materials, standard field for sports,more buildings for offices, need for more equipment in laboratories, need to repair some computers and others.
The Rector solicited the assistance of philanthropists, lovers of education and well-meaning Nigerians for the accomplishment of the vision and mission of the school.
The combined ceremony covered sets of 2017/2018, 2018/2019, 2019/2020, 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 sessions for school of engineering technology, school of sciences, school of finance studies and school of business management and administration.