Dr Clement Reveals How The Accreditation Of 30 Courses Uplifted Plapoly

Yakubu Busari

The Acting Rector Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin Ladi ,Dr Clement Selchum Cirman,  has revealed how he secured accreditation of over 30 courses of the Polytechnic recently by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE to meet up the international standard which the state almost loose the right of  the institution.

He also signed MoU with the Nasarawa State University on top-up program for those who want to acquire University degrees after their HND program in Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin Ladi

Cirman  further stressed  that the NBTE had made plans to stop the Plateau State Polytechnic from enrolling in the National Youth Service Scheme(NYSC) and also to stop HND courses hence the accreditation in the sciences and environmental sciences.

According to him, ” the world is changing towards technological development where skills are the most preferred in entrepreneurial and technical fields rather than quantum of certificates, hence the need for students

in Plateau State to return to Polytechnic education, particularly to the Plateau State Polytechnic, rather than pursue certificates for white collar jobs.

“I want  to use this opportunity of the visit to explain and inform the people, through these  medium that, the fourth estate of the realm, which he is one of them, that it is a wrong notion that only the poor students come to the Polytechnic and that the OND and HND is inferior to the University Degree as the world is changing towards technological development where big certificates don’t count today but personal skills and the Plateau State Polytechnic B/Ladi is where you can get such skills, thus the Plateau State Polytechnic is where to be, especially with the change in leadership,”he said.

Dr Clement stated that the Polytechnic which is  adjudged, even by critics, to be the best, the apt and must fitting Rector of the Polytechnic since creation by the Late Chief Barr Solomon Daushep Lar implore all Plateau State Students in Nasarawa,Kaduna and Bauchi Polytechnics to reconsider their positions and come back to the Plateau State Polytechnic because  His Excellency Barr Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, is ready to do everything humanly possible to change and improve the face of Education in Plateau State, an example of his commitment to education is the change in leadership of most state tertiary institutions and the release of needed funds for the accreditation of courses in the Polytechnic, College of Nursing, Vom, College of Education Gindiri and a host of others. Mutfwang has also paid backlog of Polytechnic staff and given approval for the recruitment of qualified staff anywhere across the globe without let or hindrance.

He disclosed  that the staff of the Polytechnic are now highly motivated to put in their best because their salaries have been paid and they have an Acting Rector who is one of them and knows their problems in and out.

Dr Clement Selchum Cirman, the Acting Rector said, it was a very huge success because the last time the institution had an accreditation of courses was in 2018.

Cirman, the Acting Rector of the Plateau State Polytechnic,was a one time state and National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), with first, second and third degrees in English Language with a Diploma in Journalism said the Plateau State Polytechnic has good facilities for OND, HND, degrees and PHD’s courtesy of the Plateau State Government and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND).

He appealed to the people of the state and indeed all Nigerians to come to the Plateau State Polytechnic and study because of the new team on the block who are full of new dreams for the institutions.

Welcoming the leadership and members of Nklang O’Tarok Ga Liryem, Dr Clement Cirman said this association is a gathering of distinguished Journalists, Publishers and Bloggers and he is sincerely happy for the courtesy call to congratulate him as the Rector of the Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi.

Dr Cirman pointed out that a lot of people have come to felicitate with him and asked the vision he has for the institution.

He  admonished the present government of Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang is striving hard deliver on his campaign promises to the citizens , adding ,i do not deal with people who believe in domestic gossips  by his upbringing and  training, he is also a journalist who has been writing a lot guidelines  for ASUP and other journals.

Cirman described the visit by the Association of Tarok Journalists, Publishers and Bloggers as very important because the group serves as the window through which information from the Polytechnic will reach the unreached and it will be disseminated.

The Ag explained  that the purpose for the Governor to change the leadership in the State Tertiary Instructions is to avoid total collapse of the education sector in the state. He recalled that the Plateau State Polytechnic in Nigeria was No No. 6 rating, only ahead by the Kaduna Polytechnic but today the reverse is the case which has reduced the rating.

Dr Clement Selchum maintained that the Late Solomon Lar era, the Polytechnic was leading in Entrepreneurship and others when the Polytechnic used to have over 15,000 students with about 700 students in a class but now with less than 5000 students enrollment.

 He said the current Governor of Nasarawa State, Rt Hon Idris Muje Wase, Chief Nanzing Nden amongst many others were students of the Plateau State Polytechnic, with an Alumni in Europe but suddenly the Polytechnic was becoming a laughing stock, a failed institution, corruption became the order of the day, the place was losing its name until the urgent intervention by the time is now administration of His Excellency Barr Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang with the accreditation of over 30 courses.

The Acting Rector called on the Tarok nation to wholeheartedly support the Mutfwang administration to succeed. He also appealed to all Tarok sons and daughters to come and study in the Plateau State Polytechnic.

 He promised to take Nklang O’Tarok Ga Liryem and other journalists on a facilities tour of the institution. He said the Entrepreneurial centre of the Polytechnic is the best in the country. He hinted that skills translate to jobs and not degrees.

 He said there are very good courses in the Polytechnic like Quantity Survey, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and a host of others.

He said, don’t judge people by certificates but by their outputs and there shouldn’t be discrimination or dichotomy between degrees and HND but let us go by prominence of skills, thus Plateau people shouldn’t go to Kaduna, Bauchi or Nasarawa Polytechnics but patronize the Plateau State Polytechnic though Plapoly has an MOU for tap up.

He harped  on the importance of the Polytechnic Education, Dr Cirman said in the Mauritius the Government is converting Universities to Polytechnics because the Polytechnic system is well faced to inculcate skills needed for industrial development and banks today prefer Polytechnic graduates whom they say perform better than degree graduates.

On the call for the election and installation of a new Ponzhi Tarok suggested by the Nklang O Tarok Ga Liryem, Dr. Cirman supported the move by also appealing to the Plateau State Government to hastily provide the means for the selection and installation of a New Ponzhi Tarok after 13 years without one.

In a vote of thanks, the Deputy Registrar of the Polytechnic, appreciated all for coming.

He said Dr Cirman is a Golden Fish that Has No Hiding Place, thus, was fished out by Governor Mutfwang to bring in his wealth of knowledge and experience to transform the Plateau State Polytechnic to enviable heights.

He said the rich credentials of Dr. Cirman is the reason for his appointment and he will be confirmed soon considering the change and  achievements in the institution for the few weeks he has been on the helm of affairs of the institution.He concluded by requesting for prayers for Dr Cirman to succeed.

In his speech, Chief Amb Nanyah A Daman, the National Coordinator of Nklang O Tarok Ga Liryem described the appointment of Dr Clement Selcham Cirman by Governor Mutfwang as very apt, most fitting and a round peg in a round hole. Daman described Cirman as one of the finest Tarok sons deserving of the appointment as Rector.

The National Coordination of the Tarok Journalists, Publishers and bloggers urged the rector to patronize the association which he promptly agreed to work with for wider publicity.

Mr Mike Dang,the Public Relations Officer of the Plateau State Polytechnic Barkin Ladi moderated the courtesy visit