Abia Poly set to graduate 28 thousand students in combined convocation ceremony
Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia
The Rector, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State, has announced that 28 thousand students of the institution will be awarded certificates and prizes during her combined convocation ceremony on Friday May 11, 2023.
The Rector Dr. Hagler Okorie who disclosed this on Wednesday added that the convocation was coming after 11 years without any convocation.
He said his administration was resolved to change the narrative of Institution by immediately commencing a gradual, radical and systematic implementation of his administration’s strategic plan for the institution.
Okorie, an Associate Professor of law, disclosed that part of the strategic plan include: organizing a convocation which has eluded institution for over a decade and creating new revenue sources for the institution.
He observed that public tertiary institutions in Nigeria are facing the twin pressure of rising demand and fiscal constraint; and the near total dependence on Government for Education funding is no longer sustainable, disclosed his intentions to seek for additional revenue sources by developing a range of pathways and mechanisms, that would be self-financing to generate surplus to the institution and similar initiatives.
He said Award of Fellowship will also be given to distinguished and deserving Nigerians across various professions and careers, who include: the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, CEO of Cubana group of companies, Chief Obinna Iyiegbu, the CMD of Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, former deputy governor of Abia State, Chief Chris Akomas among others, during the combined convocation of graduands from 2010 to 2021.
He said, “it is highly and grossly unacademic for a Polytechnic that parades modern, sophisticated and monumental facilities with 80 percent of the tutorial staff, having Doctorate degrees to stay up to 11 years without organizing a convocation ceremony, which gives back the desired joy to the graduands”.
“Abia State Polytechnic has all it takes to run a 21st century digital Polytechnic and graduate quality students.
The event also featured facility tour of the Center for Entrepreneurship Education and Development; School of Business and Management Technology; School of Science and Industrial Technology; School of Environmental Design Technology, and School of Engineering Technology.