By Prince J Musa in Kenema
As part of preparations for its proposed university status by October 2021, the Eastern Polytechnic has on the 23rd June 2021 conducted in-service training for academic and senior staff of the college in Kenema.
Speaking at the orientation ceremony, the Vice Principal of the institution, Gbessay Amodu said the training was very important as it is the first time for some of the staff to know the principles and policies binding them as lecturers to the students and the nation.
He added that producing human resource for the country is incumbent on them as it is their responsibility to train students with good skills and knowledge so that they will become useful to their communities and the nation as a whole.
He encouraged the lecturers to be an inspiration to the students by doing regular research instead of relying on outdated materials and knowledge.
Speaking at the event, the Principal Professor Mohamed Konneh said the training is to improve on the human resource of the college as it is on the verge of becoming a university.
He said the college is extending enrollment and programmes in research and outreach to the communities and that the policy document that is being provided the lecturers, will guide them to learn about the principles and policies of the college.
He added that the in-service training will enable the lecturers to know about their personal and retirement benefit and that the lecturers will be opportune to ask questions relating to their employment.
He also encouraged the lecturers to improve on their status by pursuing various masters and Ph.D. programmes.
In his statement, the polytechnic Registrar, John Juana expressed gratitude to the administration for the ideas in providing the in-service training for lecturers of the college. He stated that as head of administration, it is incumbent upon him to interpret the policies and other documents to both the lecturers and students.
He said for the administration to function effectively and efficiently, they have to develop other policies in line with the Polytechnic Act.
Juana added that the college has policies on alcohol, drugs and substance abuse, staff promotion and appointment of which the polytechnic council has a subcommittee set to handle it.
He told the audiences that the Tertiary Commission has developed a policy against examination malpractice and that any student caught should either be suspended or expelled from the institution completely.
The registrar urged the lecturers to double up their steps in doing the things that will portray the institution as an academic entity to be reckoned with.
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