ASUP Raises Alarm Over Proposed New Rector

The Leadership of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, The Polytechnic, Ibadan chapter has urged the school management to desist from any planned move to bring in an academic from the university system as a replacement for the outgoing management of the institution under the leadership of Professor Kazeem Adebiyi as Rector.

The Academic Staff Union of the school made this known on Wednesday March 20 during a press conference held at the Union Secretariat, Polytechnic, Ibadan.

According to the Union, the appeal became necessary and expedient considering the time left before advertisement is made for applicants prospecting for the management positions of the institution’s which include Rector, Registrar, Bursar, Librarian, and Director of Works which are about to be declared vacant.

The chairman of ASUP, The Polytechnic of Ibadan chapter, Dr Kola Lawal, who addressed newsmen on behalf the union said the school’s current management team under the leadership of Professor Adebiyi is already at its twilight noting that advertisement would soon be made public and called for strict adherence to the provisions of the guidelines for the appointment of Principal Officers for the institution.

Highlighting the required qualities and requirements for the position of a Rector as contained in the guidelines, the ASUP chairman of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, stressed that the chief lecturer of the institution who is the highest ranking staff is more than qualified and eligible as a replacement having gone through the system from bottom to the top and have acquired full knowledge and experience on how the polytechnic works and operates efficiently.

He explained that The Polytechnic, Ibadan has many Chief Lecturers who are at the pinnacle of their careers and are vast in requisite experience and knowledge on operations of the Polytechnic system assuring that appointing only a Chief Lecturers as the next Rector for the institution is the only way to guarantee that the school would meet its aspirations noting that if Chief Lecturers can not be allowed for appointment as Vice Chancellors of universities, it was only fair not to bring in professors from the university system to man the polytechnic.

According to Dr Lawal, the call on strict adherence to the guidelines in the appointment of successor management team became urgent and necessary amid speculations and rumors from some reliable sources that another candidate academic from the university system was being touted to come on board as a replacement for the outgoing Rector.

Dr Lawal, who commended the government of Governor Seyi Makinde for his lofty education policies and ideas stated that the present administration in the state has shown the desired political will to take tertiary education in the state to another level appealed to the governor to enforce strict compliance to the guidelines for appointing new Rector and management team for the institution.

Dr Lawal maintained that the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) alongside stakeholders in Polytechnic education in Nigeria on March 27, 2023 approved the guidelines stressing that serious sanctions also await violators of the set guidelines.

Speaking further, Dr Lawal said, consequent upon the pivotal role played by the national body of ASUP in the process of ratification and approval of the guidelines, the Polytechnic of Ibadan chapter had submitted a position paper to the then governing council of the institution through the Condition of Service Committee for consideration after which approval was made and the guidelines subsequently domesticated within the Polytechnic, Ibadan.

He added that the NBTE in a letter addressed to all Rectors of State and Private Polytechnics in October, 2023 mandated the full implementation of the guidelines by all Polytechnics in Nigeria with emphasis on strict adherence and compliance with the guidelines to avoid sanctions which include non accreditation of courses, withdrawal of existing ones, among others.

“It is imperative to note that, The Polytechnic, Ibadan began the strict implementation of the guidelines in October 2023 with the election and appointment of the current Deputy Rector. We can not afford to do selective implementation at this time in the interest of our great citadel of learning and polytechnic education in Nigeria.

“As the tenure of the current management winds down on the March 24, 2024, the process of appointing other principal officers for the institution (Rector, Registrar, Bursar, Librarian, and Director of Works) is expected to start with the placement of advertisements for prospective candidates to apply for the four vacant positions.

“It is however, imperative to highlight the importance of strict adherence to the approved guidelines at every stage of the process starting with the content of the advertisements to uphold fairness, and equity. The implementation of the guidelines will allow polytechnics to be managed by the Chief Lecturers with the qualities from the polytechnic system.

“It is the only condition that can guarantee industrial harmony on the appointment of the next principal officers for The Polytechnic, Ibadan. We want to appeal to our amiable Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde to use his good office and commitment to the principle of fairness, equity and justice to appoint only Chief Lecturers from the polytechnic Ibadan as Rector of the institution.”