EDUCATION:ASUP Demands FG To Review Polytechnic Education

The leadership of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has called on the Federal Government to review the current state of Nigerian polytechnics. The call was made during the 81st National Executive Council meeting of ASUP held at Offa, Kwara State, by the National President, Prof. Chibuzo Asomugha, who stated that the review was necessary in order for Nigerian polytechnics to meet global standards. The National President of ASUP went ahead to proffer that a mechanism should be put in place to allow all stakeholders evolve a model for polytechnic education that can fit into contemporary times. Asomugha further explained that, there had been disconcerted efforts at policy-making concerning technical education in Nigeria, adding that government need to draw up a refurbished template because jumping into the fray will not help Nigeria. ASUP leadership stated categorically that polytechnic education in the country are facing many challenges and was quoted saying, “There is no understanding of what we really want polytechnic education to be. We have deviated from the original vision and there is no focus. There is hardly any technical intent in the delivery of polytechnic education and we must return to the basis. “This dovetails into what happens in the wider economy, in the industries and private sector. There is no contact between the industries and the schools. We are just producing polytechnic graduates without being able to know where they will fit in”, he added.