S/South Youth Call For Upgrade of Kenpoly
Barikui Felix, Port Harcourt
The South South Youths Initiative, SSYI, has called on the Rivers State Government to upgrade the Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic to a full-fledged University.
The National President of the South-South Youths Initiative, Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar, made the call when the National Union of Khana Students KENPOLY Chapter bestowed him with a patronship recognition.
He said that given the school’s current infrastructural development and the recent accreditation accorded to its courses, it is expedient for the school to be upgraded.
He further lauded the Rector of KENPOLY, Dr Ledum Suanu Gwarah, for ensuring the school’s development and ensuring various departments in the polytechnic receive the necessary accreditation from the National Board For Technical Education, NBTE, assuring him of the youths’ support.
“We see how passionate you are concerning the development of this school, and we have heard you say severally that whatever you can do to make this school compete internationally, you would be ready to do it.
“We have also heard your students talk about your passion to elevate the standard of learning here.
“We also see the need for this school to be upgraded to a university, that we want the Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara to see the need to upgrade this school to a university status despite the proposed Federal University of Environmental Technology in Saakpenwa, that shouldn’t stop the upgrading of this institution to a full university,” he said.
The youth group believes that the school can always compete globally, thanks to the passion of the Rector and the governing council led by Prof Roseline Konya.
“I want to say that all of us, youths , students and elders of Ogoni appreciates the fact that you are here today and we know that before the end of your time in this school, a lot will happen here,” he added.
To the students community, Oscar charged them to take their studies seriously while assuring them of his continued guidance as a patron of the union.
Meanwhile, the Rector, Dr Ledum Suanu Gwarah, has said that his administration has done a lot to upgrade the school to its current status.
He recalled that he took over the school’s leadership when there was a security challenge in Ogoniland, adding that his leadership’s zero-tolerance for cultism has restored the school to its current excellent status.
He said the accreditation of six new departments has added to the status of the school, assuring that he won’t rest on his oars but would strive to keep the momentum of development going in the school.
Dr Gwarah said he wants to raise students that can compete with their peers globally in terms of skills.
“I want to see a school that can compete with any polytechnic in the world. We want to build a polytechnic that is renown because we have a brand name and so we should also try to build the polytechnic to match the brand.
We have also engaged in trainning of youths through partnerships with MDAs and other organisations because we know that the youths are our future
” I encourage you all as youths to key into the new paradigm shift that is envogue now in the school which is skill beyond certificate meaning that every polytechnic students should have a skill and at your graduation, you should not border much about white-collar job but to think about how to be an employer of people,” he said.
Earlier, Augustus Dumbari Prince, President of the National Union of Khana Students KENPOLY Chapter, said the union decided to install Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar as its patron because of his love and support for the students’ community.
“Our senior brother and father, Comrade Saviour Oscar Imeabe, he has been supportive to the Khana students especially KENPOLY Chapter, he has been passionate about us so we deem it fit to partner with him and and to make him do more, we agreed in our last congress that he should be one of our patrons”.
The students while applauding the achievements of the Rector, also used the opportunity to solicit for an office space for the union.
“Since you came in a Rector, we have observed series of positive changes on the campus especially the last accreditation by the NBTE where alot of departments were accredited which is a plus to you. As students, we are very happy with what your doing including the infrastructural development and our hostels being built. It shows your effort and commitment. We pray that God gives you the strength to do more,”. Prince said.
