Abiapoly Rector: Why We Abolished Statement of Results Issuance
Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
The practice of issuing statements of results to students on completion of their academic programmes has been scrapped at the Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba (formerly Abiapoly), the Rector, Dr. Christopher Okoro Kalu, has said.
He made this known when the newly elected executives of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia State Council, headed by Steve Oko, Vanguard Correspondent in Abia, paid the Rector a courtesy visit in his office.
The Rector noted that statement of results, which was originally meant to be a temporary document before the issuance of certificates has been turned into another avenue for exploitation in the tertiary institutions.
He explained that after considering its flaws, the new management of Onupoly decided to abolish giving graduates statement of results and instead issue them certificates outright.
Management of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic Aba (formerly Abia Poly), said it had outlawed the sale of handouts in the institution to stop exploitation of students.
“Students are no longer compelled to buy textbooks. Those things were things of the past. Sale of handouts is outlawed”, the Rector thundered.
“We have digitalised the processes to ensure things are done the right way. We have abolished the issuance of Statement of Results.”
He queried how “a student will finish up (programme) after five years and you give the person paper and call it Statement of Results” which the person will carry for many years having possibly paid for clearance to get it.
The Rector further stated with sadness that when graduates “come back after years for certificates and you still collect money again from the same person, and start looking for the files again.
“I said no! (to this exploitative practice),” Okoro said, insisting that “upon graduation, students should be given certificates”.
He said that the certificates issued now by the state-owned Polytechnic have QR (quick response) codes, thereby making them. verifiable anywhere to attest to the authenticity.
“Once an employer scans this QR code, it directs to Registrar and Rector. The holder’s name will appear. We will reply whether or not the person is our product,” Okoro explained.
He said that besides statement of results, the management has cleared all the hurdles placed in the system to make things very difficult for students.
The Rector said that handouts and delay of results have become things of the past in Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic under his administration which came on board in June 2024.
“Once exam is over, all results must be uploaded six weeks after examination. Four weeks for those of them in finals, and six weeks for the rest. So, students don’t need to go and meet the lecturer (to see their results)”.
The Rector stated under his leadership the old order had been done away with, adding that the welfare of staff “is treated as priority.”
“We came on board having 36 months’ salary but the governor has supported us to clear these areas and we no longer owe anybody on the campus.
“Not just that, he has also ensured that staff members who were not promoted since 2008-2012 have been promoted up to 2022. And then we have started the second phase of promotion that will take us to 2025,” he said.
