Education
Why we attach importance to skill acquisition for our students – Pioneer Rector, Federal Poly, Ayede
Pioneer Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State, Dr. Taofeek Adekunle Abdul-Hameed in this interview with Mega Icon Magazine, shares his experience on the journey so far in the past two years as well as his vision for the fastest growing polytechnic, among its peers established in 2021, by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The University of Ilorin trained Electrical Engineer maintained that the institution would thrive on innovation, skills, functional education, and international partnerships.
Excerpts :
As the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, how would you describe the journey so far in the past two years?
First and foremost, we give thanks to God almighty. There have been so many challenges, really. We just have to thank God because most of the challenges have been surmounted one by one and gradually. We also know that Rome was not built in a day. Pioneering a new institution is like being thrown into a bush without a path or compass. You have to be the one to find your way, create your path, design your compass, and find your bearings. It was actually like that, but all the same, we thank God for where we are.
The stage so far might seem not significant to some, but if you compare us with other Polytechnics established at the same time, we can say we are faring very well in terms of manpower, infrastructural development, and in terms of student admission.
To a large extent, we are far better than many of our contemporaries. The summary is that the journey has been so challenging. Like they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. We are trying our best, and we hope in the upcoming years, the result will be more manifested than what we have currently.
Very recently, you said the polytechnic is determined on producing functional and active employers of labour after graduation. Can you share your vision for the institution with us?
The vision is still intact. You see there is this saying, being propagated by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) Prof. Bugaje, “Skills not degrees”. Looking at what is trending in the advanced world, the emphasis is on skills, digital skills, and other soft skills even more than degrees. Until we can focus on skill acquisition, sincerely yours, Nigeria might not get out of the teething unemployment challenges.
Recently, NBTE and TETFUND organised a seminar for Rectors and Directors of Entrepreneurship Development in various Federal Polytechnics in Nigeria. It gladdens my heart to inform you that a sum of one hundred and thirty million Naira (N130M) has been approved for each of the Federal Polytechnic, specifically to strengthen skills acquisition initiatives.
What are the strategies you intend to deploy to achieve the set of skills development at the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede?
When you talk about skill acquisition, it is not theoretical stuff but built around vocation. It is not the volume of grammar spoken or the quantum of equations one can solve. It is about what you can do with your hands, and this is what matters now.
Sir, you invited the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for the accreditation process with the presentation of thirteen courses, but only four were successfully accredited. Are there plans for other courses to be accredited any time soon?
Thank you! You need to understand that he who does not dare will never conquer. That was the story of the accreditation programme. We aimed very high, presenting thirteen courses. The presentation afforded us the opportunity of knowing what constitutes our strengths and weaknesses for the other eight not accredited courses. The report afforded us that auspicious opportunity, and we have left where they met us then. We believed by the time they come back again they will meet us readily improved.
How would you appraise the presence of the institution in this community and Ogbomoso in general?
Of course, when there is an institution in any community, it will bring about development. Despite the presence of this Polytechnic at the temporary campus, in Iresa-Pupa, the community is already benefiting in terms of patronage, economic boost, and exposure. The students and staff are already renting accommodation, as community members are also bearing witness to this development.
Even at the permanent sites, development is already springing up. Very recently, the then Council Chairman, Professor Dakas C. J. Dakas (SAN) led us to the permanent site. We have not less than eight structures already at various levels of completion. Certainly, after the completion, the community will experience development and economic boom.
Assuming it’s matriculation, what will be your message to the matriculants?
The motto of the school is Learning Dexterity and Moral. Learning is a continuous process and each student must devote themselves to learning to be useful. Dexterity is about skill acquisition that must be developed and improved upon steadily, while morality must be guided to be useful to society. A morally bankrupt person, whatever the volume of the knowledge, cannot be a useful member of any society.
That is why our focus is on learning blended with useful skills guarded by morality. My belief is, by God’s grace, before any student graduates from this Polytechnic, he or she must have developed and perfected at least two major skills.
Sir, looking into the crystal ball, in the next 5 years where would you place the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede?
By God’s grace, Federal Polytechnic, Ayede will stand unique among its peers and even, among older ones. Except for trying to be modest, our achievements, for instance, accessing TETFund interventions are outstanding compared to even older institutions. The polytechnic will thrive on innovation, skills, functional education, and international partnerships. Hopefully, in the next five years, this Polytechnic will be a positive point of reference.
(c) Mega Icon Magazine
The Ogun State Government has inaugurated a multi-sectoral Safe Schools Steering Committee as part of renewed efforts to strengthen security architecture across schools in the state amid rising concerns over the safety of pupils, students, and teachers.
The committee is expected to drive the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies, and intervention programmes aimed at preventing security breaches, enhancing emergency preparedness, and ensuring that schools remain safe, stable, and conducive for learning.
Inaugurating the committee in Abeokuta, the state capital, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, described the initiative as a deliberate and strategic response to emerging security challenges in the education sector.
He said the composition of the committee reflected a careful selection of professionals drawn from relevant sectors, based on competence, experience, and institutional responsibility.
According to him, the government recognises that schools can no longer be treated as isolated institutions, but must be protected through coordinated action involving government agencies, security operatives, communities, and development partners.
“The inauguration of the Ogun State Safe Schools Steering Committee is a strategic response aimed at strengthening collaboration among government agencies, security services, communities, development partners and all stakeholders in the education sector,” Arigbabu said.
He stressed that the task before the committee was urgent and non-negotiable, warning that the future of children in the state depended on the quality and timeliness of their decisions.
“As members of this committee, your selection was based on expertise, experience, and institutional responsibilities. This task is both important and urgent. The future of our children depends on the effectiveness of the decisions and actions we take today,” he said.
Arigbabu urged members to discharge their duties with “dedication, professionalism, integrity and a strong sense of purpose,” adding that every school in Ogun State must remain a place of safety, hope, and opportunity rather than fear.
“I therefore charge you to approach this assignment with dedication, professionalism, integrity, and a strong sense of purpose. Let us work together to ensure that every school in Ogun State remains a place of safety, learning, hope, and opportunity,” he added.
Other stakeholders at the inauguration reinforced the need for collective responsibility, stressing that school safety cannot rest on government alone but requires sustained collaboration from all segments of society.
They noted that communities, parents, security agencies, and development partners must work in synergy to safeguard learning environments and protect the future of children.
“As we inaugurate this committee today, let us recognise that school safety is not the responsibility of government alone. It is a shared responsibility requiring partnership, vigilance, innovation, and collective action,” one of the stakeholders said.
“The decisions we take and the commitment we make here today will contribute significantly to shaping the future of thousands of learners across our state,” the stakeholder added.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State Wing, has directed all public primary and secondary school teachers in the state to embark on an indefinite strike over the continued abduction of teachers and pupils.
The strike, which takes effect from Monday, June 1, 2026, is expected to ground academic activities across public schools in the state.
The union said the action became imperative following what it described as growing insecurity in schools and the prolonged captivity of abducted teachers and pupils whose whereabouts remain unknown.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman of the Oyo State Wing of the NUT, Hassan Fatai, and the Secretary, Salami Olukayode, the union expressed concerns over the psychological impact of the incidents on teachers, learners and parents.
According to the union, the lingering abduction cases have created fear and anxiety among teachers, weakened confidence in the safety of schools and discouraged many parents from sending their children to school.
The statement read in part, “The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Oyo State Wing, hereby directs all public primary and secondary school teachers across the state to commence an indefinite strike action effective from Monday, June 1, 2026, pending urgent and decisive action by relevant authorities on the abduction of teachers and pupils.”
The union explained that the industrial action was aimed at compelling the government and security agencies to intensify efforts toward the immediate and unconditional release of the victims.
It urged teachers across the state to comply fully with the directive, remain peaceful and law-abiding, and prioritise their safety while staying away from classrooms during the strike.
The NUT also expressed solidarity with the abducted victims and their families, assuring that it would continue to engage relevant authorities until the victims were safely rescued.
The union reaffirmed its commitment to the welfare, safety and security of teachers and pupils, stressing that the protection of school communities remained non-negotiable.
No fewer than 2,243,816 candidates on Thursday commenced the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board across accredited Computer-Based Test centres nationwide.
The figure represents a 10.5 per cent increase from the 2.03 million candidates recorded in 2025.
The examination, which began on April 16, is being conducted in about 1,000 CBT centres nationwide, with candidates scheduled in four daily sessions to reduce congestion and improve verification processes.
The board said it had deployed biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems to safeguard the integrity of the exercise, noting that candidates whose biometric details could not be authenticated would be rescheduled.
Candidates were advised to print their examination slips from the JAMB portal to confirm their schedules and arrive at least one hour before their examination time.
Under the revised timetable, first-session candidates are expected at 7:00 a.m., followed by 9:00 a.m. for the second session, 11:00 a.m. for the third session, and 2:00 p.m. for the final session.
JAMB disclosed that Lagos State recorded the highest number of registered candidates with 381,814, followed by Ogun with 137,156 and Oyo with 122,662. Kaduna recorded 103,498 candidates, while the Federal Capital Territory had 102,961.
Other states include Rivers with 105,584 candidates and Kano with 83,167, while Borno and Zamfara recorded the lowest figures with 13,483 and 14,861 candidates respectively.
Outside Nigeria, participation remained low, with Côte d’Ivoire recording 32 candidates, followed by Equatorial Guinea with 16, Burkina Faso with 14, and the United Kingdom with 12 candidates.
As part of efforts to enhance efficiency, the board increased the number of CBT centres but delisted 23 centres across several states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta, Edo, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory, over technical deficiencies observed during the mock examination.
The board said the action was necessary to maintain operational standards and ensure the credibility of the examination process.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force dismissed reports of insecurity at some centres, describing such claims as unfounded.
The police said it had deployed additional personnel, including patrol teams, perimeter surveillance units and rapid response squads, to ensure the safety of candidates nationwide.
The force added that it was collaborating with other security agencies to monitor the exercise and respond swiftly to any threats.
It assured parents and candidates of adequate security, urging candidates to comply with examination guidelines, arrive early and report suspicious activities.
The police also advised the public to disregard unverified information on social media and rely on official communication channels.
JAMB reiterated its commitment to transparency, warning candidates against accepting admissions outside its Central Admissions Processing System.
It stressed that any admission conducted outside CAPS would be considered illegal and would not be recognised.
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