By joshua 
Ayo Ola
The Protem President, Kwara State Polytechnic Worldwide Alumni Association, Engineer Abu Salami, has said that it is the responsibility of alumni to preserve and enhance the reputation of their alma maters.
He stated that they should support their alma maters through various initiatives, such as mentorship programmes, scholarships and donations to help them maintain their positions as a leading institutions in the country.
He spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital during the 50th anniversary of the institution and its Alumni Association; with the theme:’Riasing the bar for greatness and excellence.’
The anniversary featured a novelty football match, a road show, a movie premier by the Mass Communication Department of the institution, a 50th anniversary day celebration, a foundation laying of the Alumni secretariat/village, fundraising and awards.
Salami“The institution (Kwarapoly) has continuously evolved over the year, keeping pace with the changing times and needs of society and providing opportunities for students to excel in various fields of study.
“As we reflect on the past 50 years of the Kwara State Polytechnic, we must recognise the importance of nurturing the next generation of leaders and innovators. “The Alumni Association has an important role to play in this regard and we are committed to supporting the Polytechnic in its efforts to provide quality education and training to students.”
“I am delighted to share with you some of the recent achievements of the Kwara State Polytechnic Worldwide Alumni Association since our inauguration in September 2022. Over the last few months, we have made significant strides in the growth and development of our association. We successfully registered our association with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), which has given us legal recognition as a formal entity. This milestone has opened up new opportunities for us to engage with the Polytechnic and the wider community and we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.
“Additionally, we have opened a bank account for the Alumni Association, which will enable us to manage our finances more effectively and transparently. This will also enable us to support our alma mater and students in more tangible ways.”
He added, “During the last convocation, we had the privilege of awarding a cash prize to outstanding students who had excelled in their studies. This is just one of the many ways in which we are committed to recognising and encouraging academic excellence among students at the Polytechnic.
“I am also excited to announce the official launch of the Polytechnic Band sponsored by the Alumni Association to serve as the official bank for all Polytechnic events. We believed that the establishment and support of this talented group of students would add vibrancy and excitement to all Polytechnic activities.
“As Alumni, we have a responsibility to preserve and enhance the reputation of our alma mater. We must continue to support the institution through various initiatives, such as mentorship programmes, scholarships and donations to help the Polytechnic maintain its position as a leading institution in technical education.
“We must also remember the value of networking and collaboration amongst ourselves as Alumni, as we continue to build relationships with each other and the Polytechnic and use our collective expertise to promote the growth and success of our alma mater.”
The Rector of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, Kwara State, Dr Abdul Jimoh Muhammed, said the institution has grown in size and status.
Muhammed said, “It is a well-known fact that Kwara State Polytechnic formally started as a College of Technology in 1973, on a temporary site which formerly housed the Institute of Technology of the institution, a site which now shares a boundary with the College of Health Science of the University of Ilorin. It started with the School of Basic Studies, which offered Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, English, Religious Studies, Geography and History, as well as registered candidates for Advanced Level Cambridge GCE Examinations in these subjects.
“The Polytechnic initially had 110 students, 11 academic staff and 3 senior administrative staff. The philosophy on which the institution was established includes: To combine the commercial production of goods and services with training. Train a new generation of technicians and technologists, whose distinctive attributes would be self-reliance and preparedness to set up their own business, either individually or in cooperative ventures. To promote and accelerate the economic development of Kwara State as a component of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ipso facto, the economy of the country. To ensure adequate representation for Kwara in the Nigerian institutions of higher learning by providing cheaply and efficiently a centre where students can be given the best pre-varsity education and to serve as a centre of educational excellence.
“The institution now has six academic institutes and four centres: Institutes of Applied Sciences (IAS), Institute of Environmental Studies (IES); Institute of Finance and Management Studies (IFMS); Institute of General Studies (IGS); Institute of Information and Communication Technology (IICT); Institute of Technology (IOT); Centre for Open Distance and Flexible E-Learning (ODFEL); Centre for Continuing Education (CCE); Centre for Interim Joint Matriculation Board (IJMB); and Entrepreneurship Development Center (EDC) which was established with the sole aim of exposing the students to practical aspects of their course of study in order to make them job creators after graduation.”
He added, “Needless to say, the institution has continued to grow in all ramifications, provision of top-notch science, technology and other basic facilities and equipment as well as maintenance of peace and security.
“With particular reference to academic activities, the institution has maintained over the years, a number of accredited programmes: 31 for the National Diploma and 25 for the Higher National Diploma, relatively low school fees, peace and stability, among others. We are determined to keep this outstanding feat by God’s grace.
“Today, the Polytechnic has grown in size and status, producing thousands of people for the growth of the economy, annually. Indeed, my joy knows no bound today as the Polytechnic community, over the years, has been witnessing great strides in various facets.
“To have maximum productivity and efficient service delivery from staff, attention was paid to their health through free medical screening for all polytechnic staff.
This was basically to evaluate the health status of the Polytechnic workforce and provide preventive counselling and interventions where necessary. The 2023 free medical screening is under process and staff will soon be informed of the schedule for screening.
“Staff training and retraining were given paramount attention through TETFUND sponsorship and more than one-third of the staff have benefitted from this. In addition, staff are always encouraged to upgrade their professional membership, as the Polytechnic, within its limited resources, has sponsored and still sponsoring staff for training. Qualified Non-academic staff who are willing to convert to an academic cadre had also been considered after following due process.
Renovation of hostels
“To make teaching/learning conducive for the students, the Management also embarked on a total renovation of all the Polytechnic abandoned hostels and allocated them for the usage of students. Amenities such as 24-hour internet connectivity, solar-powered water borehole, solar street lights etc were also provided. The Management also got the nod of the state government to complete the hostels abandoned 20 years ago through the intervention of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).
Refurbishing of equipment:
“Determined to expose students to practical experience, the Management embarked on reviving many machines which had been down for years. These include the power guillotine which has been down since 2014; the rolling machine, which worked last in 2010; 1000KVA generator which has been down since 2016 and washer making machine which has been down for more than 10 years.
Acquisition of radio License:
“The Management had also obtained Kwara Poly Radio (Kwarapoly FM) Frequency License from National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), although the license was a temporary one which had lapsed after four months. We are optimistic that the station will be back on air soon as necessary arrangements have been put in place for the acquisition of a permanent license despite the man-made challenges.
Resuscitation of IJMB
In continuation of the Management efforts to restore the lost glory of the institution, the Management also resuscitated the Interim Joint Admission Board (IJMB) Advanced level and Ordinary Level programmes which had been stopped for more than a decade. We are also making efforts to resuscitate the Diploma program in Law in affiliation with the University of Ilorin.
Prompt issuance of students’ certificates:
“The Institution has adopted a new policy of issuing certificates to all its successful graduates immediately after the completion of their programmes. This has made it easy for the Polytechnic to timely and promptly mobilise its HND graduands for the National Youth Service Corps.”