A coalition of prominent Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) led by Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative (EUYI), have hailed the management of Auchi Polytechnic for pioneering a pragmatic revolution in the education sector geared towards skills acquisition and human empowerment.
They described quality education as the bed rock of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda and reiterated the position of the federal government on quality education as unveiled recently by the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja with the theme ‘The Renewed Hope Agenda for a Radical Paradigm Shift from Education for Certificate to Education for Demonstrable Empowerment: The Auchi Polytechnic Towering Example’, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince, who spoke on behalf of the Coalition, described the Polytechnic as a beacon of youth empowerment through quality education.
“We are thrilled with the quality of practical and life transforming skills put in place at Auchi Polytechnic. It is indeed a beacon of hope and empowerment for our teeming youths who are desirous of life changing skills in line with the well articulated vision of Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Just few days ago, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa rolled out the Ministry’s clearly thought out policies and programs towards ensuring quality accessible education that is targeted at empowerment through the learning of practical skills and acquiring relevant knowledge that rules the contemporary world.
“With the transformation currently ongoing in the education sector both in funding and curriculum upgrade, Auchi (Auchi Poly) under the leadership of Dr. Salisu Shehu Umar has pioneered the introduction of transformative education policies and system which have geometrically developed the school and made it one of the best centres of innovation, skills development and knowledge-based education.
“On assumption of office, Dr. Umar immediately enlisted the support of the School Governing Council to address all established cases of injustices which caused tensions and divisions in the school. Many staff who suffered various forms of injustices from arbitrary sacking to delayed promotions and many other forms of victimisation where addressed. This boosted staff morale and increased productivity.
“The massive infrastructure upgrade which has made the school a construction site of some sort is better witnessed, starting from the entrance gate, to the dualized and electrified Campus 1 road as well as link roads connecting campuses 2 to 3. Equally receiving attention is the Sports Complex, ultramodern classrooms, lecture theatres and office blocks. No wonder, Auchi Polytechnic has repeatedly been ranked as one of the best in the country.
“In line with the federal government’s drive towards education for empowerment through skills development, innovative education, digital and technological knowledge advancement, e-learning, entrepreneurship development, Auchi Polytechnic has been examplary. All this is courtesy of the result oriented leadership of Dr. Salisu Shehu Umar.
“The creation of new departments such as the departments of Printing Technology, Mechatronics, Computer Engineering, Welding and Fabrication, Taxation and Supply Chain Management, expansion of healthcare access as well as the ultramodern Centre for Entrepreneurship Development has the Polytechnic apart from its peers across the country”, the text noted.
These innovations and life changing transformations in the institution, the Coalition noted, could not have be possible without the “deliberate efforts of Prof. Idris Bugaje, the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) who has been consistent in spearheading Skill Agenda in Nigeria’s education sector”
The text concluded by urging all stakeholders especially other tertiary institutions “to align with and partner with the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Executive Secretary of NBTE and the Ministry of Education towards sustaining the paradigm shift from paper qualification to transformative life skills for youth empowerment and employment generation”.
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