Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, Abia State, has announced the abolishment of the issuance of statements of results and sales of handouts to students.
The Rector, Christopher Okoro, while making the announcement said the decision was intended to streamline processes and reduce student exploitation.
The institution formerly known as the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, was renamed after the first civilian governor of the State, late Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu in 2024.
Okoro made this known when the new executive of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Abia State Council, paid him a courtesy visit in his office on Wednesday.
Addressing the journalists, the Rector said the institution had digitalized its processes to ensure efficiency and transparency.
According to him, the new process would enable students to access their results online. And all results must be uploaded six weeks after examinations.
He said, “Once the examinations are over, all results must be uploaded six weeks after. So, students don’t need to go and meet the lecturers.”
Okoro stated that the move was part of the institution’s efforts to enhance its academic integrity and reduce unnecessary bureaucracy.
“How will a student finish up after five years if you give the person a paper and call it a statement of results?”
“The person will carry it, probably pay for the clearance, and come back after years for certificates.
“And you still collect money again from the same person, and start looking for the files again. I said that is not right,” Okoro said.
The Rector disclosed that the Polytechnic had also made significant strides in clearing salary arrears for staff members and improving the institution’s infrastructures.
According to him, 36 months of salary arrears accumulated by previous administrations have been cleared.
He noted that the institution, which was de-registered by the National Board for Technical Education, had gained full accreditation for all its 33 programmes. With the board’s approval for 17 new ones, such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, mechatronics engineering, and fashion design technology.
Okoro thanked the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti for his support to the institution. Pointing out that, “his leadership thinks not just for the now, but for the future.
In his earlier speech, the new chairperson of the Correspondents Chapel, Steve Oko said the visit was to explore ways to establish a symbiotic relationship between the group and the institution
While describing the Rector as a “phenomenal agent of change” Oko commended him “for transforming the institution from obscurity to stardom” in barely one-and-a-half years.
He urged the Rector to sustain the tempo and strive to maintain harmonious working relationships with his management team and the institution’s staff members
The Correspondents Chairperson challenged the institution to introduce programmes that align with society’s contemporary needs. Just as he urged them to embark on research that brings solutions to humanity and society’s problems.
Oko also urged the Rector to always deal with professional journalists and avoid quacks, particularly the untrained social media practitioners.