Stakeholders, especially students and lecturers of the Rivers State College of Arts and Science (RVCASS), have called on the Rivers State Government to change the name of the institution to Port Harcourt Polytechnic.

The lecturers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), RVCASS chapter told newsmen that the college in all ramifications had been elevated to polytechnic status but regretted that the state government was yet to reflect the necessary change.

The union said the situation was denying the institution the right to benefit from some grants open to all polytechnics in the country.

Also speaking, Mr Uche Amadi  told The Tide  a final year  law student said that the change was long overdue.

According to Mr. Amadi,  “our programmes are of polytechnic standard and the  National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) which accredits programmes run by polytechnics also accredit our programme. I wonder why our school is till called college”.

In a similar vein, another student of the college, Miss Clarice Ekwe, said she would prefer her certificate to bear Port Harcourt Polytechnic, adding that RVCASS awards diploma like Polytechnics and wondered why her certificate should not bear that of a polytechnic.

Though the Provost of the institution, Dr Hillary Wordu could not be reached for comment on the issue, a source in his office disclosed that the management had made appeal to the state government for the necessary change in name but since over a year, the appeal was made, no action had been taken by the government in that direction.

The source who pleaded anonymity expressed worry over the delay by the state Ministry of Education.

Chris Oluoh

Graduands taking oath of conferment at the 30th Anniversary and 29th Graduation Corporate Award ceremony of the Buinsess Education Exaams Council in Lagos, recently. Photo: NAN