The management of Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba (formerly Abiapoly), has abolished the practice of issuing statements of results to graduating students, describing it as an exploitative system that shortchanged graduates for years.

Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Christopher Okoro Kalu, made the disclosure when the newly elected executives of the Correspondents Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia State Council, visited him in his office. He explained that the institution now issues certificates outright to graduates, eliminating the delay and financial burden associated with statements of results.

According to him, certificates issued by the polytechnic now carry quick response (QR) codes, enabling instant verification of authenticity anywhere in the world. “Once an employer scans this QR code, it directs to the Registrar and Rector. The holder’s name will appear, and we will confirm whether or not the person is our product,” Kalu stated.

The Rector further announced that the sale of handouts and compulsory purchase of textbooks had also been outlawed in the institution, insisting that students would no longer be exploited. He added that under his administration, results are now released promptly — within four weeks for final-year students and six weeks for others — eliminating the culture of unnecessary delays.

Highlighting other reforms, Kalu revealed that with the support of the Abia State Government, the institution had cleared 36 months of salary arrears and completed overdue staff promotions dating back to 2008. “We are prioritising staff welfare, and promotions are now ongoing up to 2025,” he assured.

He maintained that the new management, which came on board in June 2024, was committed to building a transparent, student-friendly, and staff-motivating system, stressing that “the old order is gone for good” at Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic.