Christmas: Akwapoly Rector felicitates staff, students, sets agenda for 2022
…As academic activities resumes January 3
In line with the mood of the season and as Christians the world over celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the Rector, Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Dr Moses Umobong has felicitated Staff and Students of the Institution on this year’s Christmas celebration.
In a statement made available to newsmen, the Rector on behalf of the Governing Council, Management, Staff and Students, expressed appreciation to God for His love, grace and mercies to the Polytechnic community all through the year.
He noted that despite the many challenges that characterized 2021, Akwapoly was able to make significant progress and achievements in diverse areas which made it possible for the Institution to fulfill it’s cardinal vision of being a foremost and world class center of excellence in technological education and innovation with a mission to produce highly competitive middle-level manpower that can nurture ideas for sustainable development and to promote creativity and scientific innovations which will aid national, economic, industrial and technological development.
Dr Umobong commended both academic and non academic staff of the Institution for their devotion, dedication to duty, passion and commitment which made it possible for the Polytechnic that was previously ranked 99th in the national ranking of Nigerian Polytechnics to clinch the 18th position in 2021.
While commending all stakeholders for their team work, he listed some key achievements of the outgoing year to include prompt release of examination results, regular Staff training and retraining to enhance capacity and productivity, full Internet coverage to aid research, teaching and learning, full digitization and computerization to aid total migration to Computer Based Test and Examination in the Polytechnic, entrepreneural development and capacity building for students, enhanced Management/Unions relationship for industrial harmony which has led to the total absence of strike in the Polytechnic, the providing of conducive learning environment through the construction of new offices, classroom and workshop blocks through effective collaboration with TEDFUND, the Akwa Ibom State Government and other development partners which has enhanced staff productivity, enhanced internal security for sustained peace on campus, effective collaboration with host communities.
Other achievements include enhanced Public Private Partnership, (PPP) with relevant stakeholders in the education sector, the establishment of a Wood/Furniture Center for entrepreneurial studies, establishment of Block moulding factory to boost Polytechnic’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, expansion of infrastructure facilities in the school, utilization and effective management of the school library, supporting the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, ASUP, to build a befitting Union Secretariat and supporting the Pioneer Students of Akwapoly to erect classroom blocks as their contribution to their alumni, amongst others.
As part of his agenda setting for 2022, Dr Umobong announced that in line with the Institution’s policy of full digitization and computerization, the Polytechnic will begin the implementation of total migration to Computer Based Test and Examination in 2022, starting with general courses under the pilot scheme.
He called on all staff of the Institution to rededicate themselves to providing selfless service to the Institution in the new year so as to ensure increased efficiency and productivity to justify the huge investments the Akwa Ibom State Government is spending in both the Institution in particular and the educational sector in general.
He also reminded all stakeholders within the Polytechnic community that normal academic activities will resume on Monday, January 3rd, 2022 and wished all Staff and Students of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic a merry Christmas 2021 a prosperous new year 2022 in advance.
