The federal government is facing accusations of negatively impacting polytechnic education in the country by persistently denying polytechnics the authority to confer degrees to students.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) made this statement on Tuesday in Abuja during a press briefing ahead of its Delegates Conference scheduled for Wednesday.
The union also cautioned that prolonged delays in resolving the dichotomy between Higher National Diplomas (HND) and degrees could lead to the complete erosion of polytechnic education in the country.
Comrade Anderson Ezeibe, the ASUP National President, expressed during the briefing that the government’s maintenance of a distinction between HNDs offered by polytechnics and bachelor degrees offered by universities has deterred many young people from choosing polytechnics for their education.
The union additionally highlighted concerns about the current bill before the National Assembly, indicating a meager 7.8% allocation for the education sector. This allocation, they argued, signals a lack of progress in addressing the longstanding underfunding issues in the sector.
Ezeibe further noted that the recent dissolution of the governing board by the federal government has contributed to confusion within the polytechnic system. Many polytechnics have been operating without the full complement of their governance structures since June 2023.
