AUCHI POLY TO BECOME DEGREE AWARDING INSTITUTION

The National Universities Commission (NUC) said on Friday that the Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo, would soon become a degree awarding institution.

Mr Adamu Yakassai, the NUC Team Leader, disclosed this when he led members on a resource verification tour of the institution.

The visit was in preparation for the school to affiliate with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, for the award of the degree certification programme.

Yakassai said that the commission visited four faculties, including the School of Environmental Studies, School of Engineering Technology, School of Business Studies and the School of Education Studies.

“We must commend the Rector for facilities and staff development, which are the two key areas for resource verification.

“For the NUC visit, we are satisfied and we hope that at the commission when we submit our reports, that they are going to give a positive answer,’’ he said.

Also speaking, the Director of Academic Planning, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Mr Anthony Chiegboka, who represented the Vice Chancellor, said the institution was happy to affiliate with Auchi Polytechnic in awarding degrees.

Chiegboka said that the institution was satisfied with the facilities at the polytechnic, adding that the university was looking forward to affiliate with the polytechnic in other areas of awarding degrees.

“We hope we are going to receive a successful report from the NUC in this resource verification covering four faculties for the beginning of a degree programme.

“There are plans for us to affiliate with the polytechnic in other faculties for awarding degrees in the institution, but we need to start from somewhere first,’’ he said.

The Rector of the institution, Mrs Philipa Idogho, said the visit by the commission was the beginning of a new dawn for the institution, adding that the visit would enhance the status of the polytechnic.

“This visit is very important to the institution because we are going into another phase of awarding degrees in collaboration with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

“They are happy with our facilities, personnel and the environment,’’ she said.

The rector noted that the team was satisfied with the kind of facilities the school had for becoming a degree awarding institution.

“Honestly, they are satisfied with this inspection and the report we just received now gladdens my heart.

“And that is one of the legacies I want to leave behind me to make sure that the polytechnic is a degree-awarding institution.

“And you know we just started this and the future is very bright and this is the struggle we have been on since 2009, and we are seeing it materialising,’’ she added. (NAN)