…As Ogoni group demands upgrading of KENPOLY
Stakeholders Monday threw their weight behind the proposed Port Harcourt Polytechnic Bill which is currently before the Rivers State House of Assembly, RVHA.
The stakeholders made their stand known at a public hearing organized by the House Committee on Education at the assembly complex in Port Harcourt.
The main aim of the bill is to change the name and transfer the assets and staff of the Rivers State College of Arts and Science, RIVCAS to the Port Harcourt Polytechnic.
Mr. George Nweke, Permanent Secretary, Special Services in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government who represented the SSG, Kenneth Kobani said the bill is a good one as the change of status of the school is a positive development to the state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kaniye Ebeku while urging the house to give the bill an accelerated hearing said government was not seeking to set up a new institution but only give legal backing to what already exists for the past eleven years as the school is running as a polytechnic.
On the issue of location, he said that would be addressed when the school has been converted to a full polytechnic.
Acting Provost of RIVCAS, Dr. Samuel Kalagbor in his presentation said the school since 2006 had gained recognition by the National Board on Technical Education, NBTE, to operate as a polytechnic through the accreditation of its courses and granted it the power to award higher national diplomas, adding that the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB and the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC had also recognized it as a polytechnic.
He maintained that the change of name would give the school its right identity and enable it access grants meant for development of polytechnics in the country such as the Tertiary Education, Trust Fund, TETFUND, noting that already, the school’s staff are on the same salary scale as polytechnic lecturers in the country.
On his part, the national chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Chibuzor Asonwa said RIVCAS is a Bonafide member of the body, stressing that the body does not admit schools that are not up to the standard of a polytechnic.
He gave his backing and suggested minor adjustments to the bill.
However, an Ogoni group, Ken Saro Wiwa Associates requested for an upgrade of the Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori.
Leader of the group, Chief Gani Topba said if RIVCAS is upgraded to a polytechnic, KENPLOY should also be upgraded to a university to balance development in the state.
He pointed out that past government’s left the school that way to balance development and further expressed fear that the economy of Ogoni would be affected if the RIVCAS is upgraded as the influx of students to the area may reduce.
However, Chairman of the House Committee on Education and leader of the assembly, Hon. Martins Amaewhule assured the stakeholders that the assembly cannot make any law that would hamper the development of any part of the state, adding that all opinions expressed at the hearing would be adequately looked into in legislating on the bill.
