Imo State College of Health Technology and Management

By Njoku Macdonald Obinna

The students, staff and management of Imo State College of Health Technology and Management Sciences- Amaigbo, have been thrown into frenzy of jubilation as they received with inexplicable excitement news about the grant of approval by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for accreditation of the institution’s Higher National Diploma (HND) programme and relevant courses after over 40 years of existence and several failed attempts in applications for accreditation.

In a letter written by the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje, FNSCHE, FSESN, C. Engr. (COREN), signed by Sama’ila Tanko, Director, Monotechnic Programme Department: for the Executive Secretary, and addressed to the Provost, Imo State College of Health Technology and Management Sciences, Amaigbo, with the title:

‘Grant of Approval To Commence Programme.’, stated inter alia: with reference to the resources inspection carried out by the Board to your Institution from 15th to 18th June, 2023, I am directed to inform you that the Board has granted your Institution approval to commence the underlisted programmes with effect from 2022/2023 session.

The two courses for HND programmes are HND Health Information Management and HND Environmental Health; Public Health in National Diploma (ND) with 2 streams of 40 students each.

In adopting the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)’s standard for recommendation, accreditation of programmes and subsquent approval, which comprises vetting the academic programmes for quality, thoroughness, rigorousness and strict adherence to certain educational standards; the Board, however, observed a few areas of deficiencies for which the following remedial measures are required:

For the accredited Higer National Diploma (HND) Programme on Health Information Management, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) strongly recommended the following below for improved academic performance at the institution:

Update and review the college handbook and incorporate a current year of publication.

Install relevant programme related software.

Provide filling cabinets, refrigerators, cupboards, and visitors’ chairs in all staff offices.

Provision of additional staff offices
The number of Internets enabled computers in the e- library should all be installed with more relevant offline e-books and current journals to be accessed even without the internet.

The entrepreneurship centre should be moved to a more spacious place , and more skills should be added.

The wooden benches and table in the demonstration and anatomy laboratory be replaced with stools.

The demonstration room should be moved to a more spacious place.

For the National Diploma (ND) in Public Health, the NBTE recommended the following inter alia:

Improve lightening in classrooms and auditorium

Provide a designated audio-visual studio

Relocate technical drawing studio to a more spacious room

Provide a designated museum

Provide additional offices for the staff of the proposed department

Increase the collection of relevant textbooks and journals in the library; while noting that admission of students into the approved programme must not exceed the class streams of 40 students each as stated earlier.

Speaking with the Publisher of 4th Estate Reporters, Njoku Macdonald Obinna , during a telephone interview, Tanko Isma’ila , Director of Monotechnic Programme Department, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE); described the accreditation of HND programme at the Imo State College of Health Technology and Management Sciences, Amaigbo, as a laudable landmark achievement of the Provost, Pharm. Elthebert Okechukwu Obiasogu, whose unrelenting and concerted efforts to get accreditation for HND and other relevant courses in the institution, yielded the expected fruits since 1983 of her establishment. In saluting the goal- getting spirit and resilience of Obiasoagu, he however, regretted that the management of the Institution under the watch of previous Provosts did little or nothing, to take the school to the level of academic excellence as exemplified in the commitment, stewardship, probity and accountability of Pharm. Elthebert Okechukwu Obiasogu.

Meanwhile, with his remarkable and impressive performance since the assumption of office as Provost of Imo State College of Health Technology and Management Sciences- Amaigbo, Pharm. Obiasogu has changed the age long ugly narrative at the Institution with a new approach, new dynamics in learning by motivating the lecturers to adopt a contemporary teaching method which is the current approach and technique used in the classrooms to facilitate learning.

Under his watch, there has been a shift away from traditional methods, such as lectures and rote memorization, towards more student-centered, interactive approaches. The effects of these contemporary teaching methods have been significant and far-reaching with the well furnished and equipped ICT Centre and E-library. This is not just a bogus claim but a verified statement of fact. A man who has done so much given the level of ruth he met on the ground at the assumption of office deserves some commendation and support, not gang -up and mischievous campaigns of calumny to distract him.

While for the record time, Pharm. Elthebert Okechukwu Obiasogu, arguably, remains the most prudent, transparent, honest and result – oriented Provost at the Imo State College of Health Technology and Management Sciences; running and developing the Institution with paltry internally generated revenues from students’ tution fees. Nevertheless, not being deterred by the teething challenges posed at him on assumption of office, giving the poor state of the school, unpaid salary arrears, lack of conducive learning environment which made the higher institution a glorified secondary school , needless to talk about the inefficiency in the running of the school due to traditional approach to teaching.

While commending His Excellency, Distinguished Sen. Hope Uzodimma, for giving him free hands to operate since inception of office which has placed the school on the path of accelerated development; including achieving the historic HND accreditation of the Imo State College of Health Technology and Management Sciences- Amaigbo, an obviously elated Obiasogu maintained that his gratitude remains eternal for being part of history.

In lieu of the above and considering the criteria presented by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as requirements before granting full accreditation to the various programmes submitted by the Imo State College of Health Technology & Management Sciences- Amaigbo; the Provost, Pharm.Obiasogu however, humbly appeals for continued support of His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodimma to the Imo State College of Health Technology and Management Sciences, so as to sustain the record breaking acheivements of the Institution under the adequate funding of the Shared Prosperity Administration led by Sen. Hope Uzodimma.

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