The Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Engr. Ibraheem Adedotun Abdul has called for adequate support for Technical and Technological Education championed by polytechnics in Nigeria to boost research and infrastructural development.
He dropped this hint while addressing the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education while on an oversight function to the college.
The Rector, commended the government by setting up a separate committee to look into polytechnics and higher technical education in the country; which he believes will focus on technological development in the polytechnic system.
“Because at the heart of technological development in every country we have this critical sector”; the rector stressed
Dr. Ibraheem revealed that, despite the critical status of the sector, “it is being underrated and marginalized and treated with disdain”.
The Rector advanced that the challenges facing HND holders is a reflection of what is happening to the polytechnics and higher technical education in this country.
He hammered on the issue of funding, dichotomy, need to award Bachelor of Technology amongst others threatening the development of polytechnic education.
He prayed the Committee to help the polytechnics proffer lasting solutions to all the challenges facing polytechnic in the sector of the country educational system.
In his keynote address, the Chairman of the Committee, Honourable Fuad Kayode Laguda, said that, it will be a thing of joy to all polytechnics that they now have a stand-alone committee in the House of Representatives.
The Chairman explained that the visit was to make the polytechnic community better, work on things that comes to the committee as marginalization of the polytechnic community.
According to him, “the committee does not have any intention to come and condemn, our intention is to come and correct and make things work for all of us”.
He stated further that, the committee is aware of many challenges facing the polytechnic community from Tetfund sharing formula to insecurity in some areas, thereby, causing shortage in the number of students, which is affecting internally generated revenue.
The committee admonished the management to cooperate with the team by letting them see things the way they are. “This committee is here to work with you and for you and we can only stretch out hands of friendship, and we hope to get the same thing back”, he said.
The team however, advised the management to beef up the workshops and laboratories to become an industrial training centre for their graduating students, if they do not have places outside.
“Develop your laboratories and workshop. Do not allow the discrimination to affect your running system,” Honourable Laguda said.
