Stop Converting Polytechnics To Varsities, NBTE Tells Federal Govt

 

Given the importance of skills to the development of any nation, the executive secretary, National Board For Technical Education (NBTE), Prof Idris Bugaje has frowned at the rate the government is converting the existing polytechnics to universities.

He stated this at a retreat for the chairmen of governing councils and principal officers of federal polytechnics, organised by the board, in collaboration with Committee of Federal Polytechnic Rectors (COFER).

Speaking on the theme, “Improving Polytechnic Administration; The Role of Governing Council And Management,” he lamented that Nigeria has over 200 universities and is still converting the few existing polytechnics to universities.

“If you convert a college of education into a university you are upgrading them, if you convert a polytechnic you are degrading that institution. So we need to stop this craze of converting polytechnics into universities.

As we know, China converted 600 universities in 2017 into polytechnics because China knows the value of technical education, the value of skills because they want to be on top. If Nigeria wants to lead Africa, if they want to be among the top 20 in the next twenty to thirty years we must change our attitude to TVET.”

He further said the present state of polytechnics in Nigeria is not encouraging, saying that all hands must be on deck to reposition the sector as quickly as possible.

“Without mincing words, the following are identified as key issues that are impeding the growth of polytechnics in Nigeria; corrupt practices, poor corporate governance, governing council and management power play, power tussle, conflict of interest etc, dearth of local and multinational manufacturing industries to employ TVET,” he said.