Some measures have to be put in place before the nation’s polytechnics and colleges of Technology could be qualified to award degrees like the universities, said Rectors of Polytechnics and experts in technical education.
The Rectors of Polytechnics numbering about three, a former Chairman of Polytechnic Ilaro Governing Council, Chief Garba Madaki Alli and Head of Mechanical Engineering of Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Engr. Sabitu Ariyo Olagoke who made the recommendation during a four-day National conference just ended here, stated that these included getting legal backing to the decision and provision of basic facilities and man-power in the polytechnics like universities.
The Rectors ,Prof. Francis O. Otunta of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana, Engr. A Ayodeji Babatunde Iginla of Lagos State Polytechnic, and Dr. Raheem A. Oloyo of Federal Polytechnic Ilaro.
The Rector of Lagos State Polytechnic represented by Mrs. Ogundele in his paper titled “the Polytechnic Act: legal implications for degree awarding status” said that by the law establishing National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), it was not empowered to accredit polytechnics and monotechnics to award degrees.
He then called for an amendment , stating that “ the implication is that the Polytechnics as they are presently constituted , cannot translate into degree awarding institutions without a change in the enabling laws”. He was of the view that if there was need for the technical institutions to become degree awarding schools like universities , “the Federal Polytechnic act’ has to be amended to incorporate the award of degrees in form of Bachelor of Technology (B,Tech]and Bachelor of Business Administration [B.BA] and so on.
In his own 21-page submission titled - “Managing the Polytechnic Education System In The Dispensation of Degree Awarding Status”, Dr. Oloyo, the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Ilaro said that the development brings challenges of amending various laws relating to establishment, functions, management and supervision of the Polytechnics.
He spoke of other issues that would “require attention are the development of new curricular for Degree programmes, the setting of quality assurance standards and upgrading of infrastructure for teaching and research”
Earlier in his opening remarks, Chief Madaki Ali said that the Federal Government should have in the first instance put in legal measures on making the Polytechnics degree awarding institutions before making the pronouncements public.
He then asked “ If the Polytechnics are made to award degrees, will these degrees be at par with university degrees and therefore eliminate the discrimination complained of?
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