The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, Akwa Ibom State, Mrs Eduma Essien, has urged students of the institution to promptly report any form of sexual pressure or harassment from lecturers to the management or the Polytechnic’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Unit for investigation and appropriate sanctions.
Essien gave the charge on Tuesday while addressing newly admitted students during the institution’s 12th Orientation Exercise held at the 250-capacity lecture theatre of the main campus in Essien Udim Local Government Area. She cautioned students against engaging in examination malpractice, cultism and other antisocial behaviours, stressing that the polytechnic operates a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of misconduct.
According to the Rector, students must familiarise themselves with the Polytechnic’s policies, rules and regulations, noting that discipline remains central to successful academic pursuit and the protection of the institution’s reputation. She warned that acts capable of tarnishing the image of the polytechnic would not be condoned under her leadership.
Essien specifically addressed issues of sexual misconduct, emphasising that the institution frowns on the exchange of gifts for marks. She encouraged students to speak up and utilise established reporting channels, assuring them that management is committed to creating a safe academic environment where learning can thrive without intimidation or exploitation.
She also announced that the sale of handouts by lecturers is prohibited in the polytechnic, directing students to purchase only approved textbooks. The Rector assured the students that as long as she remains at the helm of affairs, learning would be conducted in an environment that promotes discipline, safety and academic excellence.
Beyond academic instruction, Essien explained that students of the Polytechnic would graduate not only with academic certificates but also with practical, industry-relevant skills through the institution’s mandatory skills acquisition programme. She noted that the global focus is increasingly on what individuals can offer society, adding that the skills acquired by students would be certified and recognised internationally.
Describing the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana, as an institution committed to training students in knowledge, skills and character, the Rector encouraged the new students to cooperate with their lecturers by diligently carrying out their assignments to ensure that teaching and learning remain effective and rewarding.
The orientation exercise also featured lectures by resource persons on various aspects of the polytechnic system. They included the Registrar, Mr Idhigu Lucky; the Bursar, Dr Emmanuel Esomonu; the Polytechnic Librarian, Mr Ehikioya Uduebor; and other members of the management team, who addressed students on institutional procedures, expectations and student support services.
