By Gabriella Ogbu
On Wednesday, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, expressed hope that the country’s quality of science, skills, arts, technical, and vocational training would increase with the opening of more polytechnics.
During the public hearing conducted by the House Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, which was presided over by Hon. Kayode Laguda, Hon. Abbas made this statement.
The National Polytechnic Commission, the Federal Vocational and Entrepreneurship Institute in Okota/Oshodi, Lagos State, and the Federal Vocational and Skills Acquisition College in Yankaba, Kano State, are proposed to be established by the two bills.
These programs are more than just legislative recommendations; they are a pledge to the future of our country, one in which social mobility, economic expansion, and national advancement all depend on education.
“The creation of these institutions will guarantee that all Nigerians have access to high-quality instruction in the fields of science, skills, the arts, technology, and vocational training.”
“Today’s hearing fits in perfectly with our legislative agenda, which is to improve Nigeria’s educational system. We realize that it is critical to provide our young people with the necessary knowledge and skills in an increasingly competitive global environment. The proposed organization and its affiliated institutions will be models of excellence, offering high-quality education that satisfies both local and international standards.
The importance of technical and vocational education for the advancement of a country has come to be understood more and more in recent years. It is no longer enough for our educational institutions to only teach theoretical knowledge; we also need to give our young people the practical skills they need to succeed in a job market that is constantly changing. The fact that these institutions were founded demonstrates our commitment to closing the skills gap in the workforce.
As a regulatory body, the National Polytechnic Commission will make sure that standards are maintained in polytechnics all over the country. This program seeks to advance excellence and uniformity within our polytechnic system in addition to improving the quality of education. By doing this, we can make sure that these institutions’ graduates are equipped to meet industry demands and make significant contributions to our economy.
During his speech, Hon. Kayode Laguda, the Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, stated that all of the bills are intended to be passed into law in order to improve the nation’s socioeconomic development and to further our pursuit of the sustainable human capital development that is necessary for a self-sufficient society.
“The goal of establishing vocational, entrepreneurship, and skills acquisition institutions in Nigeria is to train middle-level and technician personnel who can act as catalysts for the development of the real sector of the economy and rapid industrialization.”
Therefore, it is imperative that all parties involved in this process be devoted to strengthening and expanding the educational system by offering unbiased, helpful feedback on all of the Bills’ contentious issues.
Speaking at the public hearing were other stakeholders, such as Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, who expressed strong support for the proposed establishment of tertiary institutions and insisted that the bills are pertinent, significant, and timely.
Professor Idris Bugaje, the Executive Secretary of the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE), supported the creation of the National Polytechnic Commission in his presentation. This commission will be tasked with overseeing, regulating, and coordinating the polytechnic sector in Nigeria.
He noted that even though more than 700 institutions are receiving overnight support, there is still insufficient funding.
The NBTE helmsman and ASUP National President regretted the dichotomy issue but also noted that Polytechnic
He stated that the Polytechnic Commission’s creation will guarantee appropriate regulation of the country’s polytechnic institutions as well as a regular review of their curricula. At the moment, the NBTE is tasked with overseeing more than 700 institutions.
Speaking as well, Comrade Shammah Kpanja, National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), emphasized that cooperation from stakeholders and government support will be necessary to realize the nation’s educational and economic objectives, emphasizing that the commission’s creation is an essential first step.
He said that the country’s inability to have a commission specifically tasked with regulating polytechnic education has made it more difficult for them to carry out their given and true mandate.
The president of ASUP claimed that the proposed commission is crucial to the country’s progress in both education and the economy because the polytechnic is a major source of graduates with skills that are in demand in the industry.
With the creation of the Commission, he continued, the Federal Government can address the issues facing the nation and offer a regulatory framework that supports high-quality education, industry-relevant skills, research, and innovation.
Professor Aliyu Mamman, the chairman of the Conference of Federal Polytechnics in Nigeria, expressed his opinions on the proposed bills and stated that the lack of a service plan for the country’s polytechnics is a result of the commission’s absence.
According to him, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation had to withdraw the recently released scheme of service because it caused more issues in the industry than it intended to solve.
He insisted that the initiative will significantly advance polytechnic education in the nation even though he acknowledged that the proposed Commission is long overdue.
While analyzing the proposed bill, he urged the Committee to remove the provision for a representative of the academic discipline and insert the Executive Secretary, who will serve as the Secretary of the Commission’s Governing Council, in place of the representative of Finance, including one representative of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Sector Skill Councils in Nigeria.
