It’s a new dawn for Federal Polytechnic Wannue in Benue State, which since its establishment in 2020, has been contending with issues inhibiting its growth.
According to the Rector of the Polytechnic, Dr Tyover Ashinya, the school currently has about 700 students and offers eight programmes, yet understaffed to fully carryout its programmes and lacks hostels and other vital infrastructure to drive its growth.
These challenges may however be fully addressed soon given the revolutionary agenda of the polytechnic’s new Governing Council, chaired by Chief Michael Msuaan.
The agenda has captured all the strategic areas of development to not only address the institution’s challenges but also propel it in the areas of research and innovation and the attainment of academic excellence.
Chairman of the Governing Council, Chief Michael Msuaan, set the tone during the maiden meeting of the council, rolling out an elaborate plan to rejig the institution and chart a prosperous future for it in the realm of academic excellence and scholarship.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in our institution’s journey, a chapter that promises growth, innovation, and excellence,” he said during the council’s maiden meeting. Msuaan’s plan is hinged on his experience as a pioneer member representing the North Central Zone on the governing council of the institution in the previous administration, and therefore fully aware of its strength and challenges.
“Our primary objective as the Governing Council is to ensure that the Federal Polytechnic remains a beacon of academic excellence and a hub for technical and vocational education. To achieve this, he said the institution must be managed well, have a healthy growth and development plan anchored on best practices and due process.
“In appointing us, Mr president has invited us to join him in his vision to revolutionalize the education sector as encapsulated in his Renewed Hope Agenda policy document. Which entails building a world-class educational system that integrates modern infrastructure, facilities, industry-relevant curricula, unhindered access to education. Mr president envisons an educational system that is problem solving.”
For the veteran community leader, Msuaan believed that the governing council must strive to provide the students with world-class education that equips them with the appropriate skills and knowledge needed to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world.
“This includes updating our curriculum, investing in modern teaching tools, and ensuring that our staff are well-equipped to deliver high-quality education in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of president Bola Tinubu.”
He said since encouraging research and fostering a culture of innovation are essential for the growth of the polytechnic, the council must support the staff in their research endeavours and create an environment that nurtures creativity and critical thinking.
He also spelt out a clear task for the council to provide the necessary infrastructure required to ensure conducive learning environment for teaching and learning.
“We must invest in the development and maintenance of our infrastructure. This includes modern classrooms, well-equipped laboratories, and comfortable accommodation facilities for our students and staff. We will collaborate with TEDFUND, development partners, organisations and public spirited individuals for the infrastructural development of this institution.”
Another clear template for the growth of the polytechnic is to introduce new courses to provide students with a broader range of opportunities for their academic and professional development.
“We believe that these new courses will not only attract more students but also better equip them with the skills and knowledge needed in today’s evolving job market. Of priority is getting the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to accredit courses such as engineering, architecture, computer science and others in the next few years.”
To build an institution for the future, Msuaan said the polytechnic will go into building strong partnerships with industries, organisations and individuals “for the practical training of our students and keeping our programmes relevant to the needs of the job market. We must actively seek collaborations with industry leaders and organisations to create internship and expose our students to job opportunities.”
To ensure unhindered academic activities, he said that polytechnic will encourage robust engagement with the host community. “Our polytechnic must remain connected to the community it serves. We should engage in outreach programs that address the needs of our community and contribute to its development. This not only enhances our reputation but also provides our students with valuable real-world experience. This engagement is very vital for even the security of our infrastructure and relationship with host community.”
The new council has also committed itself to deepening relationship and engagement, and fostering a collaborative and unified environment within the institution, as well as working with staff and students unions to address any concern, enhance educational standard, and ensure a supportive and productive work environment for everyone.
“We will encourage responsible unionism Modern unionism is hinged on strategic diplomacy rather than unnecessary confrontation. We will collaborate with all stakeholders including the traditional institutions, religious leaders, security agencies, organisations and public spirited individuals for the development of this Federal Polytechnic.”
In attaining these lofty objectives, the governing council said it ensure that the management of the polytechnic is driven by governance excellence and accountability, guided by transparency, integrity, and ethical behaviour in their actions and decisions.
With these lofty well-articulated goals, the Federal Polytechnic Wannue is set to be a leader in technical and vocational education in Nigeria far beyond the expectations of its students and the broader community. These are indeed achievable given the collective wisdom, experience, and dedication driving the new Governing Council, led by Chief Michael Msuaan.
