At the 34th convocation of the esteemed Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), 7,554 worthy graduates received national and higher diplomas for successfully completing the academic year.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the conferences for the classes of the 2018–19, 2019–2020, and 2020–21 academic sessions (Full-Time and Part-Time) were merged.
Obafemi Omokungbe, the Rector of YABATECH, in his address described the ceremony as “the climax of academic calendar, a special, happy occasion when the College celebrates success of graduating students.”
Engineer Omokungbe stated that the convocation was another accomplishment of the institution’s role as a Polytechnic while applauding the combined academic session sets.
He listed the graduating students’ grades as follows: Pass 779, Higher National Diploma (HND) Full-Time Distinction 256, Upper Credit 2,507, Low Credit 3,425
HND Part-Time, Distinction 33, Upper-Credit — 551, Lower Credit — 1,201, Pass 312 are also included. The National Diploma (Part-Time) received the following grades: Pass (3,386), Upper Credit (2,862), and Distinction (271).
Omokungbe expressed the expectation that successive administrations will build on the doors previously opened while remaining true to the goal of the endowment fund’s 50 billion Naira intended for the College’s development.
Despite the accomplishments noted during his tenure, he claimed there was still potential for growth.
“It is our sincere hope that successive administrations will build on modest achievements.”
According to him, the college has put in place a policy to combat sexual harassment which is prevalent in most tertiary institutions.
“This is called Sexual Harassment and other forms of Gender-Based Violence Prohibition (SH-GBV).
“The policy is to guarantee a violence- free, safe and non-discretionary education and work environment in accordance with international regional and national legal frameworks.
“Yaba Tech Consult, the business arm of the College, was restructured and rejuvenated as part effort to increase the revenue base of the College.
“Consequently, the water factory was completed and has been in production since 2019.
“Steps have been put in place for the general improvement of students’ welfare, safety as well as efficiency and productivity of members of staff of the college,” he added.
The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, addressed the audience and entrusted the Governing Council and Management of YABATECH with increasing its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) sources and managing earnings wisely, transparently, and with a high degree of accountability.
Adamu, said: “One of the challenges being faced is in the area of ensuring that technical level education competes favourably with other means of delivering education as a means of ensuring enhanced development for the country.
“It is, therefore, important that you increase your interaction with the industry to achieve more handshake between teaching, learning research on one hand and development on the other.”
Vivian Wategre, Director Special Duties, Ministry of Education, spoke on behalf of the Education Ministry and reaffirmed the ministry’s ongoing commitment to supporting polytechnics in all ways.
“A recent demonstration of this is the recent conclusion of allocation of the revitalisation funds to various polytechnics that were part of Needs Assessment exercise.
“I want to assure you that before the end of year, those polytechnics that have submitted their required information and documentation will start receiving part of what is allocated to them,”.
In his speech, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Chairman of the YABATECH Governing Council, pleaded with the Federal Government to resolve the status of the illustrious institution, adding, “either in degree-awarding one or to a University of Technology.
“It will be recalled that the Federal Government had made pronouncements on the conversion of the College to a University several years ago, the National Assembly is still in the process of passing the bill in this regard.
“The College Management has attended and made the requisite presentation at a public hearing held as part of the law-making process, the bill is, at its concluding stage,” he said.
The Federal Government needs to fulfil its pledges to convert the College into a University, according to the Chairman of the YABATECH Governing Council, in order to benefit both current students and future generations.
In the meantime, he praised TETFund for providing funding that, in his opinion, enabled the Phase 1 completion of the new School Management and Business Administration Building.
Fagbemi added, “Completion of major internal road network in line with Master plan of Epe Campus, completion of school of Technical Education, Complex.
“We are indeed grateful to TETFund for its support on these projects.”
Adisa Paul, a civil engineering graduate and the overall top graduating student for the 34th Convocation, received a cash award of N500,000 along with a guaranteed job with Lotus Bank.
