Science and Technology, Education Post-Basic (Step-B) Project, a Federal Government-assisted World Bank initiative, has transformed teaching, learning and research in the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State.
The second-generation institution was established by Decree No. 33 of 1979. Its laboratories and facilities, especially in Food Technology, Electrical/Electronics and other courses which are as old as the polytechnic, had become obsolete.
This, according to the Rector, Dr Raheem Oloyo, explained the reason for the interventionist approach of the Federal Government-sponsored World Bank project in resuscitating moribund workshops and laboratories of some of polytechnics.
The Ilaro Polytechnic, which keyed into the Step-B Project in 2008, The Nation learnt, has completed its sub-projects which cost N105.4 million.
Speaking with our reporter, Oloyo identified the three sub-project as "Upgrading of infrastructure at the Information and Communication Technonolgy (ICT) centre and the computer studio for video conferencing and curriculum delivery; upgrading of facilities and equipment in the food processing and food engineering workshops in the Department of Food Technology, and upgrading of facilities in the Electrical/Electronics laboratories.
"The school is set to update laboratory and workshop facilities and the structure of curriculum delivery to produce self-employed graduates who are more relevant to market needs as well as enhancing accreditation and improved quality of research activities.
The project took off in May 2010 and came to completion last month with the training workshops organised in two departments of the Polytechnic," Oloyo added.
The Food Technology sub-project, The Nation learnt, involves the renovation of workshops, the supply and the installation of equipment in food processing and food engineering. Some of the equipment are: rotary drum dryer, electric steam-jacketed kettle and butter churn.
According to the rector, two members of staff of the department travelled abroad to train on the use and maintenance of the equipment at the manufacturers' yard. On their return, they held a workshop for other members of staff and selected students. More students in HND II had their projects done in Food Processing and Food Engineering using the equipment supplied. The number of students trying to gain admission into the programme is also increasing as the cut-off point is 217.
Oloyo further spoke on the projects: "The facilities in the ICT sub-project are not only beneficial to the initiating department but to many more, especially in service courses where different programmes take similar options.
“Two classes can now go on concurrently at the east and the west campuses. On the sustainability of the project, members of staff of the department were trained on the use, troubleshooting and maintenance of the video-conferencing equipment."
The Rector, according to the spokesman, Rev Olasunkanmi Bolaji, handled the workshops.
Rev. Olasunkanmi said: "The resultant effect of the workshops was that more proposals on Step-B and other research activities are being initiated by the staff and students. The polytechnic also spent over N4 million acquiring more accessories to the equipment acquired in Electrical/Electronics sub-project to ensure the maximization of the equipment."
