Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo has harped on the need for the government to invest in revamping higher institutions in the country.
This he said, will enable the institutions to effectively play their roles in research and development in the country.
Soludo was speaking on Friday, when he received the new Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic Oko, at the Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.
The Council members were led by their Chairman, Senator Barnabas Gemade, a former National Chairman of People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
Speaking during the visit, Gemade explained that their visit was to officially inform the governor that they had assumed duty in the institution as members of the governing council members
“As Governor of the CBN, you brought tremendous innovation and we have seen that in your style of governance.
“Part of our work in the institution is to ensure that we collaborate with your government.
“This council will ensure that the institution is close to your government in programmes of technological development. I am delighted to be here with my members,” he concluded.
Responding, Governor Soludo congratulated the governing council members on their well-deserved appointment, illustrating his emotional attachment to the institution.
“I knew it when it was Oko arts of science. It later changed to Anambra State and finally, Federal Polytechnic, Oko.
“It has grown in number and size, but you have a humongous task ahead of you.
“I look at the institution with mixed feelings of hope and opportunities but also of despair.
“We know where the dream was, but whether we are heading to the position, I don’t know.
“This is not peculiar to Federal Polytechnic, Oko. Most of our institutions are turning into glorified secondary schools.
“We need to start asking the pivotal question of what our various individual institutions are known for. What comes to mind when our institutions are mentioned?
“Sadly, many of our institutions have gone down. We need to go back to the fundamental ideas of our forefathers.
“I’m still looking at the glass as half full,” the governor stated.
He revealed that the new composition of the Council is an opportunity for something unique to be done in the institution, rather than being a place where people are given paper certificates without something to do when they graduate.
“In our own Polytechnic here in Mgbakwu, I have a team reviewing their status. They will soon submit their report on whether the institution is fit for purpose.
“It is a general problem of our education, particularly tertiary education.
“I call them the “villagization” of our institutions, but I see Nigeria in terms of the composition of members of the board.
“There is huge work to be done, to be able to rescue our education sector.
“I’ve seen university when it was universal, not minding where one came from but the value being added.
“Here in Anambra, we recruited 8115 teachers from 18 states of the country because the interest of the Anambra child is to be taught by the best teacher. We are already practicing what we preach.
“Re-invent Federal Polytechnic, Oko. It has been villagized to a glorified high school.
“I’ve seen how it works elsewhere and it pains me to see what is going on here.
“We have a job to rebuild because education remains the ladder of opportunities.
“In terms of strategic partnership with you, there is a whole lot we can do to assist you, though yours is a Federal Institution in Anambra State. Let’s do it together”, Governor Soludo added.
