BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL STUDIES
Osun State Polytechnic, IREE which came into being on October 12, 1992 started as satellite campus of The Polytechnic Ibadan in 1983. In the same vein, the Department of General Studies started as a Department of Teacher Education in 1993. It thus metamorphosed into the Department of General Studies in 1992 and inherited facilities, infrastructures and staff member of the Department of Teacher Education.
The first acting Head of Department of General Studies was MR A. A Bamikefa. In 1995 Mr. T. A. Durojaiye succeeded Mr. Bamikefa, as the acting Head of Department.
In 1996 when the Department of Mass Communication was created, Mr, Durojaiye became the acting HOD (General Studies) the position he held until 1990 when he was succeeded by Dr. Rasheed. A. Sanni as the acting head of Department while Mr. Bamikefa was transferred to the department of Mass Communication.
Mr. A.O. Odebunmi was appointed acting head of the department in year 2001. And on 1st Jul, 2004 Dr. R.A. Sanni was re-appointed as the first substantive head of department.
In 2005, Mr. J.O. Ogunyemi was appointed as the head of the department and he occupied the seat till 2007.
In 2007, the mantle of leadership of the department fell on Alh. M.A. Oseni and he was the head of the department till 2008.
In 2008, Mr. S. O. Akanbi became the head of the department and he was the head till 2009.
In 2009, Alh. M.A. Oseni was re-appointed as the head of the department and he was the head till 2012 when he handed over to Dr. (Mrs.) A.A. Ijiwole. In 2013, Miss O.F. Adesiyan was appointed as the head of the department till 2016. In 2017, Mr. K. A. Alabi was re-appointed as the head of the department and he was the head till 2018.
In 2019, Mr. I. P. Odebiyi assumed the post of headship of the department. When it was exactly a year (January, 2020) after the assumption of office of Mr. I. P. Odebiyi, the hitherto Department of General Studies metamorphose into an enviable directorate with faculty status and two units with the department status. The units are: Languages and Humanities and Science and Social Sciences. Mr. J. O. Ogunyemi was appointed as pioneering Director and Mr. I. P. Odebiyi as the pioneering HOD, Languages and Humanities and Mr. A. M. Sanusi as the pioneering HOD, Sciences and Social Sciences.
To date, the directorate has a total number of thirteen (19) academic staff members, two (2) non-academic staff members and a Corp member. The department also has a total number of ten (10) service lecturers in specialized courses such as Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Health Education and Use of Library.
The thirteen (13) academic staff members of the department include three (3) Senior Principal lecturers, one (1) Principal Lecturer, one (1) Senior Lecturer, seven (7) Lecturer I and one (1) Lecturer II.
STAFF INVOLVEMENT IN DECISION- MAKING
Members of staff of the Department of General Student participate actively in departmental meetings where various decision relating to the progress of the department are taken.
They carry out duties assigned by the HOD while staff members in turn present suggestions towards the development of the department in particular and the institution in general. Such suggestions are then put forward to the institution’s Board of Studies for consideration.
POLICY AND PRACTICE ON STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Osun State Polytechnic. Iree has a policy on staff development (and as contained in the institution’s staff handbook).
In practice, staff members are sponsored to attend workshops and conferences.
STAFF PROMOTION
Staff members who qualify for promotion are promoted as and when due.
(a) Complaints that are beyond the department are forwarded to the appropriate authority for consideration and settlement.
(b) Members of staff are appointed to guide and counsel and advise to guide, counsel and advise student from time to time.
(c) Lecturers set question on the courses they teach while lecturers handing the same course in different classes jointly set question and present one making scheme. Semester examinations are conducted by the institution as at when due. Marking Schemes are used for both internal and external evaluations. Results are published after approval by the Institution’s Board of Studies (B.O.S).
The issuance of statement of results to student to undertaken by the Academic Affairs Office of the Registry
(d) The department engages in continuous assessment of student’s performances through regular tests, assignments and counselling. The HOD monitors the activities of staff member in order to ensure that students receive adequate and deserved attention from time to time.
(e) All academic, non-academic as well as support staff members are amenable to discipline and give the required co-operation.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE DIRECTORATE OF GENERAL STUDIES
The goals of the General Studies programme at ND and HND levels are:
1. To provide a broad-based education designed to sharpen students’ communication skill, their realization of the need for the cross-fertilization of ideals and the inter-relatedness of the various disciplines as well as bridging the gap between what would have been otherwise two separate cultures i.e. the literary and the scientific.
2. To inculcate the idea of the national loyalty and understanding based on an awareness of the nation’s roots and cultural antecedents, thus enabling students to come to grips with our societal morals, national aspirations, values and problems.
3. To produce a citizenry conscious of its role in a wider, proud of its antecedents and prepared for effective leadership role in divers fields in the society, thereby ensuring a positive contribution to national integration and greatness.
ACHIEVEMENT OF THE GOALS
In order to achieve the goals spelt out above for the General studies programme in the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma. The programme will adopt the following strategies:
All National and Higher National Diploma Student shall take the courses provided in English Language and Communication.
The details are as follows:
1. GNS 101 and 102 are for first and second semesters of ND1 respectively.
2. GNS 201 and 202 are for the and second semesters of NDII respectively.
3. GNS 301 and 302 are the for the first second semesters of HND I respectively.
4. GNS 401 and 402 are the first and second semesters of HNDII respectively.
The social sciences and History courses provided in the curriculum are for the technology and science based students. They are to be taken as follows:
1. GNS 121 to GNS 125 are to be taken in the other three semester of the ND programme.
2. GNS 320 to GNS 323 are for HND Technology and Science students.
3. GNS 130, 131, and 132 for HND Management Students. While GNS 330,331 and 332 are for HND Management Students.