Published By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The dogged commitment of the Babajide SanwoOlu led administration in ensuring qualitative education across all strata in Lagos State has been lauded by eminent personalities in the state.
The commendations followed LASPOTECH’s emergence as the third best Polytechnic in Nigeria, according to the Year 2021 Webometric latest ranking for Polytechnics and Technology Colleges in Nigeria.
According to the ranking released recently by the body, the best polytechnic in Nigeria is Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) followed by Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, while the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, was rated third best.
Expatiating further on the criteria of the ranking process, the Management of Webometric, a leading ranking organisation based in Spain stated that four ranking factors determines the top ranking academic citadel. These includes ; openness rank, impact rank, presence rank, and excellence rank.
According to a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Tokunbo Wahab, “Webometric ranking of the World Universities/Institutions is an initiative of the Cybermetrics Lab, a research group belonging to the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), the largest Public Research body in Spain.”
Wahab expressed happiness that LASPOTECH is bouncing back to its rightful position, noting that the State government’s general reform of the education sector is beginning to yield positive result.
Wahab recalled that the Lagos State University, LASU under Governor Sanwo Olu lasy year, was also rated as the second best University in Nigeria and one of the best 100 Universities in the world.
The Special Adviser hinted that the governor had given a matching order to ensure that LASU is repositioned to become a first choice University in the whole of Africa as regards quality researches and academic excellence.
He said his Office would continue to do its best to ensure that the vision is realized in record time.
Wahab, who expressed optimism that two new State Universities will soon be activated, noted that LASU alone could not meet the demand for University admission by students, in an emerging Smart City like Lagos with an estimated population of over 22 million people.
In the same vein, the Oba of Igbogbo Kingdom, Oba Semiudeen Orimadegun Kasali commended the State government for its efforts in transforming the education of the State to make it rank among the best in the world.
The Royal Majesty commended Governor Sanwo-Olu for prioritizing youth development and empowerment in his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, adding that the proposed upgrade of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, to University of Science and Technology and two Colleges of Education in the State, to University of Education is a testament of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to quality education, research development and technological innovation in the State.
The traditional ruler while assuring the governor of the support of the State’s traditional institutions on the proposed varsities, commended the leadership of the State House of Assembly for backing the Executives’ reforms agenda with quality legislations.
While also commending the State Government for promoting the growth of Education in the State, the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Special Adviser on Education, Mr Adeniran Kasali said the emergence of LASPOTECH as the third best Polytechnic in the country is in line with Governor Sanwo Olu’s third development agenda, which is Education and Technology, adding that, more laurels are on the way in other critical sectors that the State government had performed excellently well.
Dr Nurudeen Olaleye the Rector LASPOTECH while expressing his joy over the honour done the institution by the new ranking, commended the State Government for upgrading facilities in the school.