By Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
A recent media report quotes the Taraba State Polytechnic community of describing the appointment of Dr Agbu Danlamin as the Substantive Rector of the institution as “healing the bleeding wound the community was going through”, implying that the previous Rector Dr Ayuba Abarshi was a bleeding wound during his tenure as the Rector of the institution.
However, a close look at his administration as the Rector of the Institution shows that, this title may not be unconnected to his strict disciplinary measures and high standards he brought to the institution making it hard for those with nefarious tendencies to do their exploits.
Some of the staff and students who spoke to our Correspondent insist that the Rector was too insistent on high standards, best practices and uncompromising discipline, beyond what some people could bear.
Samuel Daniel, a former student under Dr Abarshi told our Correspondent that “me I understand why they will refer to him as bleeding wound. For the first time, he came and stopped the exploitation of students through selling of handouts. He also insisted that every lecturer must be in class as and when due.
“Some times he will just come to a class and if there is no lecturer, he will call the Dean or Head of Department and insist that the lecturer is questioned. This happened a number of times in my presence. So it could be one of the reasons”.
Equally, a senior staff of the institution Nasir Ahmed told described Dr Abarshi as “a strict disciplinarian who has zero tolerance for compromising on standards”.
Ahmed note that “a higher institution is a country on its own. You have different people from different backgrounds and orientation coming to commune either as academic or non academic staff or students.
“Most times, people, even students erroneously assume that this is a place of absolute freedom where they can do as they please. In fact, students often think it is a liberation from the restrictions they endured during secondary school days.
“Unknown to them, a certificate is not just awarded for learning but character as well. This is where character is modelled and prepared for the challenges of the outer world. In the school here, part of the measures put in place by the Abarshi led administration include enforcement of a dress code. Most students were not comfortable with that.
“Even among us the staff, some were not comfortable with some of the measures he put in place. Lecturers were made to attend lectures compulsorily while the sale of handouts was also outlawed. So, sarcastically, some people could go as far as referring to him as a bleeding wound.
“However, I think they may be making a big mistake if they are expecting a compromise from the new Rector. Remember that he was part of the management team then. He also has a personal relationship with Dr Abarshi and is also a strict disciplinarian. So I think he will most likely build on the foundation that his predecessor laid rather than destroy it”.
Abarshi is unarguably one of the most performing Rectors in the history of the institution. Under his time, the school witnessed the fencing of the school perimeter, building of a new administrative block, several departmental complexes, students hostels, establishment of skills aquisition centres and staff quaters.
His time in the school also saw a robust community relationship, leading to the drilling of borehole that supplies water to the immediate host community. This is besides establishment of the office Equal Opportunity for the physically challenged that has made resourceful contacts with schools for people with special needs”.
Over 40 Staff of the institution have also undergone various trainings home and abroad to broaden their knowledge base, add to their qualifications and made them better suited to carry out their work in line with contemporary best practices.
