Former Registrar, National Business and Technical Examinations Board, Prof. Olu Aina, has urged the Federal Government to provide necessary wherewithal for polytechnics to begin awarding bachelor and post graduate degrees in technology-related programmes.
The ex-NABTEB boss, who demanded immediate abolishment of the Higher National Diploma, noted that the polytechnic education in Nigeria was going through travails.
The don stated this on Wednesday, while delivering the convocation lecture of the 8th combined convocation of the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Osun State.
Delivering a paper titled ‘Revitalising Polytechnic Education in Nigeria: From Challenges To Opportunities,’ Aina said the National Board For Technical Education has not fulfilled its obligations.
He noted that the failure of the NBTE to cope with her regulatory functions has led to the lagging behind of polytechnics in Nigeria when compared to their counterparts in other parts of the world.
He said, “All the polytechnics in Nigeria to retain their designations as “polytechnics” but statutorily empowered to offer degree programmes at Bachelor, Masters and Ph.D level. Polytechnics should be allowed to run B.Tech, MTech and Ph.D degrees in technology-related programmes.
“To this end, only the National Diploma should be allowed to continue while the Higher National Diploma should be abolished. However, there should be a moratorium of at least five to six years for the transition to allow academic staff with lower qualifications to upgrade to the minimum requirements.
“The new National Diploma should be three years with six months apprenticeship after the first semester of the first year and another 6 months apprenticeship after the first semester of the second year, and the last two semesters to be in school.
“NBTE today is notably part of the problems of Polytechnic rather than agent of the solution. The NBTE, as currently structured, cannot effectively deliver on the mandate of Polytechnic in Nigeria. Therefore, an entirely new commission for Polytechnics should be established.”
Aina, who said the country would need a tertiary education system with capacity to propel the twin engine of development – technology and entrepreneurship, particularly to enhance overall competitiveness as a nation in a dynamic and globalized world.