The Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM) has frowned at what it called the high number of intakes of cadets into the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron in Akwa Ibom state.
Warning that the high rate of admission is against international best practice, the association also warned that the academy must be careful about its admission policy, adding that at the end of the day the country will end training nobody.
The Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM) has frowned at what it called the high number of intakes of cadets into the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron in Akwa Ibom state.
Warning that the high rate of admission is against international best practice, the association also warned that the academy must be careful about its admission policy, adding that at the end of the day the country will end training nobody.
Speaking at the Annual General Meeting of the association last weekend in Lagos, the newly-elected president of the NAMM; Captain Ade Olopoenia assured that the group will partner with the the academy with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem of admission.
Olopoenia explained that the number of intake is too much for the lecturers to do a good job at training these cadets.
“We will engage the management of the institution and make them see the need to reduce the number of their intakes.
With that high number of cadets, it is impossible for them to get the best of the students and also impossible for lecturers to get the students.
“We must reduce the number of cadets admitted to the academy, how many of these cadets are board vessels, how many of these cadets are gainfully employed”, he queried.
The mariners noted that the academy is currently churning out shipping administrators and not core mariners and thereby called for a re-working of the school’s curriculum so as to ensure that the training of mariners are given priority.
The mariners opined that the 400 intakes of cadets is too much and called for a review.
It was also said that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has also frowned at the fact that the academy has not being able to get approval for its electrical department.
Captain Olopoenia, explained that the newly-elected leaders of the association will consolidate on the achievement of his predecessor.
Speaking earlier, the immediate past president of the group; Captain Adejimi Adu urged the new team to increase the interface with government and its agencies so as to ensure that the voice of the association is heard on national issues that are related to the maritime industry.
But in swift reaction, the media consultant to the academy, Mr. Ovie Edomi said that the number of the admitted cadets is because the academy is currently the only maritime institution set up to train the category of people.
He explained that all the courses at the academy have been accredited by the NBTE except for the electrical department and that efforts are on going to get the course accredited.
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