Mr Anderson Ezeibe, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), has urged the Federal Government to empower polytechnics to award their bachelors of technology to end the BSc and Higher National Diploma (HND) dichotomy.
Ezeibe made the call in Kaduna at an award presentation and farewell ceremony organised by ASUP, Makarfi Chapter to mark transition of Shehu Idris Collage of Health Sciences and Technology, Makarfi (SICHSTM) into Kaduna State University (KASU).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that SICHSTM was merged with KASU to be awarding degrees by Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i. He said the measure, if adopted, would also ensure full utilisation of huge number of technical equipment in workshops, laboratories and other facilities in public polytechnics that remained underutilised due to lean students population.
The president said that with the transition, SICHST, was no longer a member of ASUP, but of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).”ASUP is currently on advocacy on the award of bachelors of techology by Nigerian polytechnics system.
”HND is no longer as attractive as it used to be to Nigerian youths because of the age-long dichotomy.“Policy makers have made it a rule that once an individual have an HND, he cannot attain the peak of his/her career, then why are they continueing to force it on people, why don’t they phase it out and replace it bachelors of techology, “he said.
According to him the Nigerian polytechnic system have all it takes in terms of infrastructure and human capital to award Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate Degrees in the areas of techology.
“In Europe, Germany, UK, America and all parts of the world, polytechnics are not limited to middle level manpower.“In the new polytechnic act, they are empowered to produce higher level manpower without limit, as we speak, many polytechnics are producing degree holders but in affiliation “They are doing it with their own infrastructure and staff, why can’t they do it in name of another their institution.
“We are on serious advocacy regarding this and we have recently submitted a position paper to the federal government on the need to transit from the award of HND to bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees in techology with the Nigeria polytechnic system,”he said.
According to him, it will be the surest way of barricading the dichotomy between HND and Bachelors Degrees. “The bill to stop the dichotomy has passed through all the stages of legislation but not accented by the President and the period has passed, which means their is no political will.
“So, if they are not ready to improve HND, they should phase it out and replace it with degrees in techology so as for us to continue to dwell in our own area of competence which is technical education.
”ASUP is faced with many challenges and success stories among which were their ability to change the model of engagement with proprietors of public polytechnics and collages of technology in the country.
“We also engage in alot of advocacy which resulted to us attracting positivities to the Nigerian polytechnics system. “Recently, six new centres of excellence have been established in the Nigerian polytechnics system, one in each geo-political zone, they are the first of their kind.
Ezeibe also said that in October, N15Billion was also released for polytechnics system as a result of their struggles, for the revitalisation of infrastructure in Nigeria polytechnics system. “Currently, we are renegotiating our agreement with the government on new wage structure for our members, and many other developments we are trying to bring to Nigeria polytechnics system,”he said.
He said they were engaging their challenges in productive manner without destrupting academic activities in their campuses.
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