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LOKOJA – A university administrator and former vice chancellor, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba , Professor Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko has warned Nigerians against under rating polytechnics and its certificates as its negative implications would affect the nation’s quest for advancement in innovation, technology and industrialization of the economy.
This is as he said there are no basis for comparing Polytechnics and universities education as each of them is calibrated in different ways and canalised distinctively to solve specific societal developmental challenges.
The Erudite Professor of political science gave the warning in a pre convocation lecture of the Federal University lokoja, with the topic ” Reimagining Nigeria’s University Education for wholesome National Development” held in the permanent site of the University in lokoja on Thursday.
He said the National policy on tertiary Education was predicated into three pivotal levels inculcating polytechnic, colleges of Education and the University for the overall goal of enhancement of the education sector, but lamented at the subjugation of other legs of the policy in favour of the University system.
He said the appellation of polytechnic HND as equivalent to Bachelor of Science degrees BSC is unnecessary as the two forms of training are not the same and cannot be the same and would not be the same for the purpose in Which they were established.
He lamented that instead of policy makers to concentrate on the essence of the foundation for the establishment of three tiers of higher education and make them functional, became obsessed with derogation of other rungs of tertiary education system in detriment of educational advancement of the country as those admitted to the other segment felt inferior to their counterparts in the University system.
The former vice chancellor explained that the essence of Polytechnics is to train and impart necessary skills for the production of technicians and technologists and other skilled personnel who shall be enterprising and self reliant as against university which is directed at a more liberal education to provide by research and other means the advancement of knowledge and should not be confused to create dislocation in education system in Nigeria.
He avvered that in the nation’s quest to attain best education formula for the people, it introduced a 6:3:3:4 system that takes care of those that are technologically inclined and those that are academically suited to drive the economy, but , regretted that the implementation has become problematic against the pursuance of technology, vocational and innovative education in the country.
He explained that the bane of education in the country is not of the curriculum which can compete favourably across the globe , but picked hole in the implementation, which he noted has dragged the country into education duldrum.
He charged administrators of tertiary institutions who were beneficiaries of the good old days to live by example in the conduct in administering the institution, saying much was expended on them that forbids them to kill the system.
Professor Mimiko while asserting further , said no amount of funding in the form of finance would solve the rots and decadence in the sector, but thinking inside and outside the box to exploit other means of attracting funds in form of research output, internally generated revenue and industry partnership would shore up the fortune of the system.
He bemoaned the paltry allocation of 7.81% of the budgetary allocation to education as against smaller countries whose allocation were in three digits higher than Nigeria, warned that without paradgm shift, the country would be populated with dead woods .
The Erudite scholar, however, charged the polytechnics to maintain its core value of training skills manpower in science and technology courses rather than delving into management and social science courses which are better taught in the universities.
He appealed to the polytechnics management to ensure that the one year industrial attachment after National Diploma is maintained and sustained and should be strictly enforced as a requirement for admission into HND programmes.
He advise students and parents to renew interest in the polytechnics education by subscribing to it as their first choice for admission stressing that functional Polytechnics education hold the ace for physical and economic transformation of the nation.
In a remark, the pro chancellor of the University, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, wants the Government to channel the proceeds of petroleum subsidy removal into education, which he said touches the lives of Nigerians.
He bemoaned the tragedy that have befallen the nation with high percentage of its children dropped out school, who are have now become willing tools in the hands of terrorists and bandits and other social misfits.
He warned religious leaders against using religion to create social dislocation in the society but rather emulate their counterparts across the world who have eschewed religion tolerance for national development.
The chairman of the governing board urged students to maximize the application of the internet for problem solving rather than indulgence in frivolous pursuit of mundanity .
Meanwhile, the vice Chancellor, professor Olayemi Akinwumi commended the scholar for the thought provoking exposition capable of changing perspectives of Nigerians to different tiers of Education in Nigeria.
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