The management of Kebbi State Polytechnic, Dakingari, has expressed concern over low student enrolment but says it has put in place measures to tackle the issue.
The Rector of the institution, Dr Abubakar Boyi-Dalatu, made this known while briefing newsmen in Dakingari, Suru Local Government Area of the state, on Tuesday.
He said poor student enrolment was a major challenge, despite the accreditation of more courses.
According to him, the polytechnic was established about 14 years ago with a mission to provide quality technical education to the people in the state and beyond.
Boyi-Dalatu said he was appointed the substantive rector of the institution on May 31, 2024, when the institution was facing impending extinction due to the non-accreditation of any academic programmes.
He, however, said that he focused his attention on the accreditation of more programmes for the polytechnic, which was achieved within four months of his tenure.
“Not only did we secure accreditation of our programmes, we also ensured compliance with regulatory agencies and improved our infrastructure,” he said.
Boyi-Dalatu also said the management of the institution had secured permission from the governing council to open study centres at strategic locations across the state to meet the demands of the people.
According to him, the institution now has 600 students, while admission processes are ongoing.
The rector expressed optimism that by the end of the admission process, enrolment would increase to 2,000 students.
Boyi-Dalatu also revealed that the institution had secured ₦500m in Tertiary Education Trust Fund support for the institution’s Innovative Technology Centre.
The rector said the polytechnic’s Skills Development Centre, approved by the National Board for Technical Education, provided hands-on training in various trades, enabling students to develop practical skills in high demand in society.
“Our Skills Development Centre has approval to run 18 NBTE-accredited trades.
“These initiatives are designed to ensure our graduates are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to succeed in their chosen careers and make meaningful contributions to our society,” he said.
Also, the Commissioner for Higher Education, Alhaji Isah Abubakar-Tunga, said the state government held a stakeholders’ meeting to ensure student enrolment increased reasonably.
“As a follow-up, more stakeholders’ meetings will be held to fine-tune ways of increasing student enrolment in the institution,” he said.
