COREG holds 70th conference in Taraba, commends host institution for developt strides

The Conference of Registrars of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria (COREG) has held its 70th Regular meeting at the Federal Polytechnic, Bali in Taraba state.

Addressing participants drawn across various Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria, the out-going Chairman, COREG, Mohammed Hassan Gora, who doubles as the Registrar, Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu in Yobe state, described COREG as an association of Registrars that was formed in the year 1973 as a platform for members to interact among themselves.

The Chairman stated that the Conference was conceived to meet the notable objectives as, to promote discussion on issues of common interest to member institutions; encourage the inter-change of information and ideas towards effective management of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria; to join hands with the Council of Heads of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology (COHEADS) in all matters regarding the growth and development of technological in the country.

He added that the conference was conceived to also express the views of members and make known to government and public, such conditions and difficulties that hinders the smooth running of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in the country and to promote and facilitate cooperation amongst members of their Rectors in particular, and other staff of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in general.

According to him, COREG’s regular meeting affords members the opportunity to review events and activities in their various institutions, update themselves with the happenings around the country and collate their views and opinions on issues of common interest for presentation to the appropriate quarters.

“COREG rotates its meetings among member institutions to promote its activities; considering it a rare privilege for members to experience the intellectual quality of each host institution.

“Opportunity to experience at first hand, the diverse cultures, linguistic differences and traditions of various ethnic groups and fostering of better understanding and cohesion among members”, he said.

Gora, who however, acknowledged the support of government agencies and parastatals like NBTE, COHEADS, etc also commended the Rector, management and staff of the host institution, “Federal Polytechnic, Bali” for the developmental strides in the institution.

In his address of welcome, the Rector, Federal Poly., Bali, Dr. Saidu Umaru Jen who was represented by the Deputy Rector, Dr. Usman Mohammed said, Fed., Poly was established in 2007, formal operation with his appointment as the Acting Rector began in 2008 while the governing council was inaugurated in 2009.

“I was subsequently appointed the first substantive Rector of the Polytechnic on September 7, 2011 for a period of four years and reappointed for the second and final term as the Rector of the Polytechnic in December, 2016,” Umaru Jen said.

The Rector further told the visitors that his institution currently has seven national programmes accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), describing them as ND Accountancy, ND Statistics, ND Computer Science, ND Science Laboratory Technology, ND Agric. Engineering Technology and many more.

He did not forget to state some of the challenges, like poor funding of the polytechnic system, shortfalls in Personnel Emoluments, the Polytechnic is facing, urging them to proffer solutions on how to tackle the challenges during their deliberations.

In his remarks, the Registrar, Federal Polytechnic, Bali, Zanna Kashim, while commending the efforts of the Local Organising Committee for doing a good work, revealed that Fed. Poly., Bali since seven years of operation, has graduated six sets of National Diploma Students from two programmes initially approved to the seven National programmes the institution is already having presently.

The Registrar added that the institution is waiting for NBTE visitation to commend ND programmes in Electrical/Electronics and Computer Engineering, ND programmes in Building and Civil Engineering, pointing out that all equipment and facilities to run the programmes.