The challenges of lack of a designated commission for polytechnic education and the unresolved age-long disparity between university and polytechnic graduates over the years has continued to stagnate the development and ensnare the sector is raising fresh concern in the system.
Critical stakeholders, particularly the various staff unions and polytechnic authorities are therefore challenging the government on the need to review the status of the tier of higher education.
They are also worried that for more than 20 years now, their agitation and demand for an enhanced system and in ensuring that the polytechnic sub-sector attains its rightful status in the country, is yet to be actualised.
This, to them, would go a long way in repositioning the sub-sector and remove the inequality between university and polytechnic graduates, as well as position the sub-sector better for effective supervision and management.
Regrettably, there is no concerted effort and commitment on the part of the Federal Government and concerned authorities to address these nagging issues, a development that has continued to raise questions about its indisposition towards polytechnic education.
Unfortunately, this is as the bill passed by the National Assembly more than three years ago to end the age-long dichotomy is being frustrated due to lack of the political will to review polytechnic education structure despite the outcry by relevant stakeholders.
The lingering disparity, according to the stakeholders, has continued to hinder career progression and appointment placement of Higher National Diploma (HND) especially in the government establishments and the civil service.
The policy of HND/BSC dichotomy, they argued, has not only become a threat to the system, but also the rating of HND as inferior to BSc certificates has adversely resulted in declining enrolment of students into different academic programmes offered by the polytechnic system at HND level.
Given this untoward treatment of polytechnic graduates and lopsided career progression at work, HND holders, who intend to acquire Masters Degree are forced to undertake Postgraduate Diploma (PGD), while the pervading inferiority complex has compelled many HND holders to spend two additional years in university to acquire first degree.
This is despite the seeming correspondence in the number of years and the same entry qualification of a minimum of five credits in O’Level results required for attaining HND and degree.
Though some universities have introduced conversion programmes for HND holders, as well as NBTE for holders of HND to convert their certificates to BSc degree through the NBTE’s one-year programme, this has not in any way totally resolved the lingering dichotomy.
The university graduates due to the lopsidedness are still rated above their polytechnic counterparts as HND graduates in the job placement and career progression cannot rise above Grade Level 14, while university graduates can rise to Grade Level 17.
Commission
Worried that polytechnic is the only sub-sector in all tiers of education without a commission of its own, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) is accusing the Federal Government of a deliberate action to strangulate the system, despite its key role in national development.
Expressing the union’s regrets, the immediate past National President of ASUP, Mr Anderson Ezeibe, said the demand for a dedicated commission to concentrate on regulation of standards in polytechnics has been on for over 20 years, but for lack of political will and deliberate effort to review the polytechnic structure and establish the National Commission for Polytechnics, this has been a forlorn.
According to him, the demand stems from the fact that among the three legs of Nigeria’s tertiary education tripod, only the polytechnic system does not have a dedicated commission.
Ezeibe, in a chat with New Telegraph, recalled that the demand gathered momentum as the number institutions in the regulatory basket of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has continued to soar in the recent times given the rate at which more vocational training and other sub-tertiary education institutions were being established under the agency.
Stressing the urgent need for a dedicated commission for the system, ASUP noted that at the moment, NBTE is currently overseeing about 700 institutions, a situation the union claimed has not given room for effective supervision and regulation of the sub-sector.
“With polytechnics as the only tertiary education set up in this mix, it becomes inevitable that regulatory oversight of the polytechnics will suffer with the attendant implication of undermining the growth of polytechnics and its alignment to national needs and global standards,” Ezeibe said.
According to him, the Federal Ministry of Education over the years has demonstrated a lack of significant interest in the issue despite the compelling arguments in favour of the establishment of the National Polytechnic Commission irrespective of several ASUP’s face-offs with the Federal Government over the issue.
Towards this end, Ezeibe, therefore, wondered that this is more baffling in the face of the fact that the same ministry has overseen the establishment of dedicated commissions for Basic Education (UBEC), secondary education (NSEC), and Nomadic Education within the same period.
But, in a renewed hope, he recalled how in the past few years there has been positive efforts through the National Assembly to bring the Commission to life, saying one of such efforts is the current bill sponsored in the House of Representatives by Hon. Igariwey Idu from Ebonyi State which has scaled through the second reading.
He said: “It is expected that the Federal Government will this time accent to the bill if and when it goes through the rigours of the National Assembly. This is because the establishment of the commission features prominently in the approved road map for the nation’s education sector (2024-2027).”
On whether the proposed merger of government agencies based on the Orosanye Report will foreclose the call for a Commission for polytechnics, he said the white paper did not support the merger of regulatory agencies in the tertiary education sector.
“It is, therefore, expected that the creation of a dedicated commission for polytechnics will not go against the report, but rather strengthen the disposition of the government towards the development of skill-based education in the country,” he stated.
Similarly, the former Rector of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Mr Olayinka Sogunro, while speaking on both issues, however, noted that though the issues are not new in the struggle for a better polytechnic system in the country, the establishment of a National Commission for polytechnics is long overdue.
According to him, if created, it would go a long way to give room for effective management and thorough supervision of the sector.
However, he wondered why polytechnics should be left under the supervision of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) that is currently supervising over 600 institutions, including polytechnics, monotechnics and other technical/vocational institutions.
Against this background, Sogunro insisted that to have an effective and efficient polytechnic sector in the country, there is the need for the Federal Government to remove polytechnics from NBTE in order for the agency to fully concentrate or focus on other institutions.
“NBTE is unlike the National Universities Commission (NUC) that focuses on universities only and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) that supervises only about 162 public and private colleges of education.
“Therefore, based on this scenario the National Polytechnic Commission should come to life without any delay, adding that for the general Quality Assurance there is urgent need for the creation of the Polytechnic Commission for effective coordination, supervision and management so as to achieve the expected and desired outcomes.
He dismissed the argument that the proposed merger by the Federal Government would have any negative effect on the establishment of the commission, since polytechnic commission is under the Federal Ministry of Education,
Disparity
Meanwhile, ASUP has expressed dissatisfaction with the disposition of successive administrations over the disturbing disparity between university and polytechnic graduates, which has over the years set the students, staff unions and other stakeholders on a collision course.
It, however, regretted that all efforts in the bid to stop the discriminatory practices against holders of the Higher National Diploma in the country have not yielded fruitful results.
ASUP wondered that the discriminatory practices become evident during HND holders’ attempts at furthering their studies at Postgraduate levels and at the workplace and civil service, which has made polytechnics become depleted as students and qualified academic staff have continued to abandon the sector.
The union also lamented that attempts at rectifying what it described as “criminal conspiracy” have led to passage of bills by the National Assembly, but which did not receive the approval of the President.
According to Ezeibe, ASUP has deepened its demand on the subject by demanding that the dual mandate colouration of the Federal Polytechnics Act, which gives polytechnics the mandate to produce both middle and high level manpower should serve as a springboard to phase out the now maligned HND certification in favour of a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) certification for polytechnics.
The former ASUP President said: “The dual mandate provision is such that polytechnics will retain the National Diploma (ND) certification for middle level manpower while the Bachelor of Technology certification will satisfy the higher level manpower development provisions.
“The plan is to gradually phase out the HND certification in the nearest future since its acceptability has continued to be questionable. The move will see the ND become the entry level certification for the B.Tech programme.”
Ezeibe, who noted that such a move would revolutionise the polytechnics sub-sector as the current migration away from the sector by qualified academics and students would be mitigated, expand access to tertiary education and improved quality of research, while teaching and learning will also be improved in the sub sector.
“Again, this view has been accepted by the Federal Ministry of Education as it is captured in the 2024-2027 ministerial roadmap,” he added.
Also, Sogunro insisted that the disparity should be removed without delay, which the agitation, according to him, has been long.
While describing the dichotomy “as academic conspiracy” against products of the polytechnic system fostered and nurtured through the government policy as well as university graduates, who see themselves above and superior to polytechnic products.
The former Rector, who insisted that the disparity was no longer fashionable in this age of technological advancement and knowledge-driven economy, however, stated: “If Nigeria is to move forward there must be more recognition for polytechnic and technical education.”
He traced the disparity to the government policy on education which gave credence to polytechnic to produce middle-level manpower, while the university is to focus on higher level manpower.
Sogunro said: “Things have changed. Polytechnic system has changed from production of middle to higher level manpower as polytechnics can now award degrees (B.Tech). This disparity was not well pronounced before when there were industries which hired polytechnic graduates who are more grounded in technical know-how to stabilise the economy, as university graduates with higher level manpower went into the ministries.
“But, unfortunately the collapse of the industry sector now made the disparity more pronounced these days, which of course, should not have been necessary. Now, HND is rubbing shoulders with BSc.
“In developed countries HND graduates are admitted to universities for higher degrees without problem, unlike here, and this has limited our national development index due to lack of recognition for technical competence and manpower that polytechnic is noted for.
Rather than fanning the ember of disparity in certificate qualifications, he stated that competence should have been the priority as obtains in other climes where competence is rated above certificate qualifications.
The former Rector added: “Mind you, the entry qualifications are now the same. It is the same number of credits for admission into the university and polytechnic. Polytechnic students spend five years whether Science or Technological based or Social sciences, with two years for ND, one year for Industrial Training or practical, and two years for HND.
“We should allow competency to be the order of the day in employment placement, while they should subject them to thorough screening or test, and we should employ or promote or appoint based on that.”
Since technical education, skills acquisition and innovations are key to economic growth, he explained that the polytechnic sector of education that gives training in this direction must be well looked after in terms of standards, especially curriculum development and regular relevant training inclusive in order to meet current challenges and present realities.
NANPS
Curiously, the National Association of Nigerian Polytechnic Students (NANPS), the body of polytechnic students, has expressed its disenchantment over the continued disparity against HND and BSc, calling for the removal of the inequality.
The association, which condemned the policy, called on the Federal Government and particularly President Bola Tinubu to sign into law the Bill seeking the removal of the disparity between the Bachelor degrees and the Higher National Diploma in the country.
In their fresh agitation, the association has threatened to stage a one-day protest in Lagos to draw the attention of the Federal Government and members of the public to the disturbing issue in the polytechnic system.
The students, who tagged the planned rally “Save Polytechnic Education,” urged President Tinubu to end the dichotomy before May 29.
They are worried about why the two academic qualifications are not ranked the same in the labour market particularly in the civil service as the university degrees are ranked higher than the HND certificates.
Bills
Meanwhile, the agitation for parity between HND particularly by stakeholders in the polytechnic education, which has been on for a long time, has not been given any serious attention by successive administrations.
The agitation, however, reached a crescendo when the last National Assembly passed the Bill for President Muhammadu Buhari for assent, but which was not signed into law till the administration left the office.
The bill, which seeks to erase the ‘inequality’ between holders of university first degrees and HND graduates from polytechnics, was passed following recommendations of the report of the Senate Joint Committee on the Establishment and Public Service Matters, Tertiary Institutions and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
The committee chaired by Senator Ibrahim Shekarau noted that the enactment of the bill would help HND holders to advance their careers.
But unfortunately, President Buhari failed to sign the bill into law, a development that has raised concern among polytechnic stakeholders as the uncertainty has further fuelled unequal treatment of HND and degree holders in the Nigerian labour market and educational system.
Now, stakeholders have shifted attention to President Tinubu, calling him to sign the bill into law so as to end the age-long disparity in the system.
Similarly, attention has also been focused on the Bill for an Act Establishing a Commission for Polytechnics, which has passed the second reading at the Green Chamber of the National Assembly.
Stakeholders, particularly the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) have expressed optimism that the bill coming after several years of agitation by the union and polytechnic authorities for the establishment of a dedicated Commission for Polytechnics to supervise polytechnic education in Nigeria, like other institutions, would see the light of the day.
The Bill for an Act Establishing a Commission for Polytechnics is sponsored by Hon. Iduma Igariwey Enwo, member representing Afikpo and Edda Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State in the House, passed through the first reading in November 2023 before its successful passage for the second reading at the floor of the House in February 19, 2024.
The bill, titled: “Re: A Bill for an Act to Establish National Polytechnics Commission to Supervise, Regulate and Coordinate Polytechnic Education in Nigeria, and Other Related Matters (HB. 673), seeks among other things that polytechnics are the only arm of tertiary education in Nigeria without a dedicated Commission; and that the National Board for Technical Education which currently supervises the polytechnics, regulates over 600 institutions, including vocational and sub-tertiary education institutions, with polytechnics being the only tertiary institution in this mixture, and therefore suffering poor regulation as a result.
The bill also states that apart from universities which are regulated by the National Universities Commission, lesser education entities also have dedicated Commissions, such as the Basic Education schools which has the Universal Basic Education Commission; secondary schools with the National Senior Secondary Education Commission.
Other commissions are the National Commission for Colleges of Education for Colleges of Education; National Commission for Nomadic Education for Nomadic Education.
“Considering the importance of science and technology in Nigeria’s quest for greatness, you begin to wonder why the neglect of polytechnic education all these years,” the bill also stated.
Therefore, it insisted that the need for a dedicated Commission for Polytechnics is rooted in the urgent need to properly regulate polytechnics in the direction of providing skilled technical and technological manpower to serve the needs of Nigeria, especially as it struggles to compete in a dynamic global system where science and technology has become a dominant index of national power.
Igariwey said: “It was, therefore, a thing of joy when my colleagues unanimously gave their support for the Second Reading of my Bill for an Act to Establish National Polytechnics Commission to Supervise, Regulate and Coordinate Polytechnic Education in Nigeria, and Other Related Matter (HB.673).”
Basking in the euphoria of the passage of second reading of the bill, ASUP in a statement issued and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Itoro Ekanem, said: “Indeed, the absence of a dedicated commission to concentrate on the proper regulation of polytechnics as one of the legs of the tertiary education tripod has for several years been seen as one of the posters of discrimination against Nigeria’s endangered polytechnic system as the other tiers of tertiary education in the country have dedicated commissions, such as the National Universities Commission and National Commission for Colleges of Education for universities and colleges of education, respectively.”
ASUP noted that it is therefore commendable that the House of Representatives views the bill by Hon. Igariwey and his colleagues as progressive and in furtherance of the need to ensure equity and appropriate fulfillment of the establishment mandates of polytechnics in the country.
“Without doubt, the subsisting regulators, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has put in commendable shifts in the direction of this mandate since 1977, but continues to be challenged by the sheer numbers of institutions in its portfolio of institutions with the inclusion of other sub-tertiary and vocational training centres under its regulatory portfolio. The number of such institutions currently exceeds six hundred,” ASUP added.
While applauding the move by the House of Representatives, which according to the union, is in tandem with the Federal Ministry of Education’s plan for the sector, the union encouraged all stakeholders in the education sector to rally support for the National Assembly as they prepare for the remaining stages of this ground-breaking piece of legislation due to its well-documented benefits.
According to ASUP, the good news of the bill has also assuaged the growing feelings of misery in the polytechnic sector brought about by the deplorable economic situation in the country and the refusal of the Federal Government to implement the reviewed salary structure in the sector which took effect from January 2023, among other challenges threatening industrial harmony in the sector.
“We equally urge the Federal Ministry of Education to step up the execution of other defining aspects of the ministerial roadmap for the sector including the degree awarding status for polytechnics so as to save the sector from total collapse,” ASUP added.
