FG pursues N15bn for revitalization of facilities, others in Polytechnics

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu has said that the ministry is pursuing the release of the N15 billion for the revitalization of facilities in the public polytechnics in Nigeria, review of the Scheme of Service as well as resolve the issue of Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) 15 Migration.

Adamu, who stated this on Tuesday at the Retreat for Chairmen of Governing Councils and Principal Officers of all Federal Polytechnics, also noted that the federal government is effectively engaging the staff unions on their demands with the aim of improving the quality of research, teaching and learning in the sector.

Represented by the Acting Permanent Secretary, David Gende, the Minister said they are working assiduously and making efforts towards the review of the Template for Advertisement for Principal Officers as well as a scoring format for the purpose of uniformity and standards and to enhance the seamless process in the appointment of Principal Officers and other key management staff.

He said the Retreat, which is organized by the National Board for Technical Education[NBTE] in conjunction with the Committee of Federal Polytechnic Rectors [COFER] with the theme: “Improving Polytechnic Administration: The role of Governing Councils & Management,” will equip them with the knowledge and skills required to lead the institutions to higher positions.

“The running of our Polytechnics without proper management strategy and good governance is like having a vehicle without a chauffeur. Therefore, governance in these institutions is not only imperative but should be functional,” he said.

Earlier in his remark, the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris M. Bugaje said that the TVET sector was under siege and it was important to save and turn the fortune of the sector around.

Bugaje bemoaned the upgrading of polytechnics to universities saying this would only lead to the degrading of polytechnics.

”The university is swallowing the polytechnics. Polytechnics and universities are parallel, we are not feeders. The College of Education (COE) feeds the university system. If you convert COE to university, you are upgrading it but if you convert polytechnic to university, you are degrading it and this will not help the economy. We must stop this craving of converting polytechnics to universities. So I advocate a reverse of conversation of universities that are not doing well to polytechnics,” he said.