Give the Polytechnics a Chance

The nation's economy can only be developed through the creation of entrepreneurs through the evolution of a sound technical education policy. This was the view of Professor Salawu, a professor of Electrical-Electronic Engineering at the University of Lagos. He also canvassed the elimination of all known social stigmas that have been making the choice of careers in technical education unattractive to Nigerian youths.

He maintained that technical education remains the only panacea to the resuscitation of the nation's ailing economy. He called on the Federal Government to step up measures reviewing the tertiary educational system to correct the imbalance between graduates of Polytechnics and Universities.

As a way of encouraging youths who are artisans in the informal sector, he suggested an intervention process to provide a form of skills' improvement strategy and retraining for them.

Nigerian Institute Of Technologists in Engineering want the government to undertake a total review of the tertiary educational system to correct the imbalance in production and expenditure between middle-level technical manpower and university professional graduates.

The salaries of Polytechnics and Universities should be harmonised so that there will be movement from one to the other. This will make it easy for Polytechnics to attract good quality workers.

Annual competition on innovation and inventions leading to awards for inventions.

A policy to take care of the informal sector such that artisans are periodically retrained to continually improve their skills, and additional allowance for technical subject teachers in secondary schools to attract more qualified teachers into the field. If all these are done, entrepreneurs would not only be created, [b]unemployment [/b]would also be greatly reduced.

N .I. T. E.

Nigerian Institute Of Technologists in Engineering

http://www.geocities.com/technologist_engr/principalpage.html
SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIAL ESTATE PL0T 4 LINCA WAY ISOLO.
P.O.BOX 3910 IKEJA LAGOS STATE.
PHONE: 01-4802798.

There is no doubt that the industrial growth of any nation depends on the level of the educational advancement and development of its middle level manpower. There are many polytechnic students with the Higher National Diploma (HND). Their presence in any economy ensures its growth and development and by implication its national development. The consequence of its absence in any nation is lack of development or slow national development. This is exactly the case and problem with Nigeria. Even though Nigeria has many polytechnics that produce these middle level manpower, its economy has refused to grow. This is attributed to the disparity and controversy between the HND and Bachelors degree, which resulted in many students opting for the university education, which is purely academic and theoretical as against polytechnic education which is practical and pragmatic. The idea is that with bachelors degree they will acquire better jobs and earn more salary. This tragedy has resulted in the mass exodus of students from the polytechnic to the university thereby creating a vacuum hard to be filled, in the nation's labour market, all due to disparity and controversy surrounding the HND and Bachelors degree. This has done more harm than good to the economic development and educational advancement of this nation. It has generated also a lot of controversy than progress in the educational system.
For a long time, this controversy has been a thorn on the flesh of Nigeria's educational system.(Okumephuna 2003) It is high time a lasting solution is given to the hydra-headed problem. Elsewhere there may be a big gap and difference between the polytechnic education and that of the university. But here in Nigeria the differences are not conspicuous. These little differences therefore, should not be the reason for the disparity between the two systems. It should also not be a reason for the disparity or controversy between the HND and Bachelors degree.
In the first place, it is important to note that the two systems are not the same and can never be the same. One is also not an alternative to the other. Polytechnic education is purely a techno-scientific education. This is in contrast to that of the university that is predominantly academic.
The argument here is that while polytechnic education is more of practical, that of the university is theoretical. Polytechnic education is, for instance, 60 per cent practical and 40 percent theoretical while that of the university is vice versa. This little explanation is a pure pointer to the fact that both educational systems are not the same or is one an alternative to the other. Therefore, a student who is opting for the polytechnic education should bear in mind that he is opting for a practical- oriented education. He can only switch to the university if he wants to go academic or theoretical. In a nutshell, one does not enter a polytechnic as a last resort. It is a different educational system with its own mission, vision and, of course, a clear objective.
Having seen their peculiar attributes, one will now ask why the disparity or controversy between the HND and the Bachelors degree? This is a result of ignorance of those in government and public sector. The stakeholders in our educational system are to be blamed too. There is no basis for the disparity between the honours if the points are examined critically and objectively.
One needs four credits to gain admission into a Nigerian polytechnic against five required for the university system. The margin, frankly speaking, is not much and should not warrant the controversy. In fact, majority of the students in the polytechnics gained admission with more than five credits. The writer gained admission into the famous Mass Communications Department of the Oko Polytechnic with eight distinctions. Similar to the above point is the fact that polytechnic education lasts for five years while that of the university lasts for four years. One should have thought that the extra one year in the polytechnic would have made up for their supposed four credits on admission. In addition to that, one takes three subjects in the Polytechnic/Colleges of Education Examination to gain admission into the polytechnic while the University Matriculation Examination requires only one, which is not even a big margin.
The least qualification one needs for employment in the university, which is Bachelors degree, is also what is required in the polytechnic. This is also the case with the Doctorate degree, which is the highest qualification in both systems. The professorial title is just a title, which many Chief Lecturers in the polytechnics are qualified to be given. This is also the case with their standards of education. They are just the same. In fact, it has been proved time without number that some courses in the polytechnic are by far superior to that of their university counterparts. Accountancy is one of such courses and statistics of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) shows that HND graduates of the polytechnics pass their ICAN examinations more than their university counterparts. Mass Communication is also another and likewise the Engineering courses.
Today the polytechnic graduates are competing favourably with their university counterparts in the labour market. This is also a pointer to the fact that university education in Nigeria has no strong and effective regulation unlike their polytechnic counterparts. No polytechnic can venture or dare to do any course in Nigeria today without getting a go-ahead accreditation, temporary accreditation and permanent accreditation respectively from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), which is now being called the National Polytechnic Commission. This permanent accreditation is even subject to review every four years. Any polytechnic that violates this guideline receives a sledgehammer immediately from the Commission. The Commission is very serious, rigid and strict on this. This is the reason polytechnic education is undiluted, qualitative and competes favourably with the university system. The alacrity, speed and manner in which some university, some of which are not up to the polytechnic level, churn out graduates in courses it is clear beyond doubt that they are not qualified to do leaves much to be desired about their universal status and puts their standard, credibility and regulation to great question. Even the manner the new ones spring up day-by-day is an urgent matter of concern.

a confrence on technical education is going on now at auja. it should be able to resolve these issue.

The state of polytechnic education
The Guardian (Editorial/Opinion) November 3, 2004

RECENTLY the executive secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr. Nuhu A. Yakubu, informed the House of Representatives committee on education that about 35 per cent of the courses offered in the 17 federal polytechnics in the country will be scrapped for lack of accreditation.

Specifically 232 of the 654 courses on offer in these institutions failed the accreditation exercise, reflecting what the executive secretary characterised as "the decline in the standard of education in most polytechnics in the country."

The decline, according to the executive secretary, is reflected in the dilapidated structures, broken down equipment, the non-availability of modern state of the art equipment, and inadequate staff.

The decision to scrap courses in federal polytechnics brings to the fore once more the crisis in the nation's educational system. It is clear that the situation in the federal polytechnics is replicated in all tertiary institutions, whether federal or state controlled. Accreditation and visitation panels have over the years drawn attention to the deplorable state of the facilities and equipment in the polytechnics, colleges of education and universities throughout the country.

Staff of these institutions have had cause to go on strike periodically to press home to the government the problem of inadequate funding. The story is the same in our primary and secondary schools. While the children of the privileged attend expensive private schools at home or overseas, majority of Nigerian children attend sub-standard primary and secondary schools. The nation's educational system is in deep crisis, created largely by neglect and inadequate funding. The Federal Government continues to ignore the UNESCO prescribed minimum funding for education in developing countries.

The decision by the NBTE to scrap 35 per cent of the courses on offer in federal polytechnics does not solve the problem. If the board discovers next year that more courses do not meet its accreditation standards, will it scrap them as well? In any case, is the decision based on a thorough appraisal of the manpower needs of the country? Is the board saying that the courses are no longer useful to the economy? Will scrapping 35 per cent of the courses solve the problem of dilapidated structures, obsolete equipment and inadequate staffing?
Polytechnics are an established and organic component of the educational system in most countries. They are designed to provide professional and work-oriented training to meet the developmental needs of society. Polytechnics produce the workforce for industry and are therefore critical to industrial development. To achieve these goals, polytechnics employ teaching and learning approaches that differ from the traditional academic model.

Their courses and methodology connect pedagogy with industry and link theory with practice. They balance specialised skills with general knowledge. Polytechnics maintain a close relationship with industry, which enables their students to acquire practical skills through industrial attachments. The industrial attachment component of polytechnic education reinforces the link between theory and praxis; it allows the graduates to be better integrated into the labour market, and provides opportunities for enterprises to maintain a closer link to the education and training system.
Unfortunately, polytechnics face a difficult situation in Nigeria, not only in terms of inadequate funding but also in their ability to provide industrial attachments for their students. Over the years industrial production has declined sharply in tandem with the collapse of the national economy. The economy no longer has the capacity to offer industrial attachment places to the number of students who need them. It also cannot offer them employment when they graduate. The nation is therefore confronted with a situation in which the polytechnics lack the facilities to offer proper training to their students; the economy cannot offer the industrial training positions which will enable the students acquire the practical skills they need for employment in the industrial sector; and industries cannot employ the graduates because they are not properly trained. It is indeed a sad commentary on the state of the nation, on the absence of a national strategy of development.

Ordinarily the Manpower Development Board, working with the National Board for Technical Education and the National Universities Commission, is expected to serve as the bridge between educational institutions and the labour market. It should make projections on the size and calibre of the workforce, sector by sector, profession by profession, which the economy would need in the immediate and long term.

It has to ensure that the educational system responds and adapts to the changing needs of the economy, of industry and of the labour market in such a way that there is no over-abundance of skills in one sector even while another sector experiences critical shortage. It is the board's responsibility to enhance the relevance of education and training for various occupational fields. It is expected to create a synergy between education and industry, between professionalism and occupations. But like most government agencies it has failed woefully in performing this critical task for the nation.

That the NBTE now finds it necessary to scrap 35 per cent of the courses on offer in federal polytechnics, not because the economy does not need professionals in those courses, but because the courses failed accreditation, demonstrates the failure or inability of government and its agencies to deal adequately with the problems confronting the nation. It is important that the government takes measures to revitalise the educational sector as part of a well designed national strategy to promote development in the country. This is the only way to emancipate our people from the suffocating tyranny of poverty and underdevelopment.

Seun, Pls replace the original posts

Don hinges better economy on technical education
From Iyabo Sotunde, Ibadan
A UNIVERSITY don, Prof. Rafiu Salawu argued that the nation's economy can only be developed through the creation of entrepreneurs through the evolution of a sound technical education policy.

Salawu, a professor of electrical-electronics at the University of Lagos, also canvassed the elimination of all known social stigmas that have been making the choice of careers in technical education unattractive to Nigerian youths.

The university don, who spoke at the 16th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Association of Teachers of Technology (NATT) held in the Oyo State College of Education campus, Oyo town, maintained that technical education remains the only panacea to the resuscitation of the nation's ailing economy.

Besides, he called on the Federal Government to step up measures at reviewing the tertiary educational system to correct the imbalance between graduates of polytechnics and universities.

As a way of encouraging youths who are artisans in the informal sector, Salawu suggested an intervention process to provide a form of skills' improvement strategy and retraining for them.

He also highlighted some factors capable of promoting technical studies in the country. These include government undertaking a total review of the tertiary educational system to correct the imbalance in production and expenditure between middle-level technical manpower and university professional graduates.


The salaries of[b] polytechnics and universities [/b] should be harmonised so that there will be movement from one to the other. The move, he argued, will make it easy for polytechnics to attract good quality workers.

Annual competition on innovation and inventions leading to awards for inventions.

A policy to take care of the informal sector such that artisans are periodically retrained to continually improve their skills, and

Additional allowance for technical subject teachers in secondary schools to attract more qualified teachers into the field.
He posited that if all these are done, entrepreneurs would not only be created, unemployment would also be greatly reduced.

In his address on the occasion, Provost of the College of Education, Dr Adekunle Ogunmola admonished Nigerians, particularly stakeholders in the sector to accord technological education the priority it deserves.







N .I. T. E.

Nigerian Institute Of Technologists in Engineering

http://www.geocities.com/technologist_engr/principalpage.html

The polytechnic are up any way

But Nigerian refuse to be a polytechnic product.

THE ISSUE[i][/i]

The issue here is not to scrap the Nigerian polytechniques as suggested by one of the writers, but to find a way of harmonizing both qualifications. One cannot underscore the importance of both HND and the BSc qualifications in national development. Instead of putting a barrier or attaching a class system to these qualifications, the Nigerian government should work hard to sell its products.

In any developed society, the educational system is not left to run as an island. Colleges and Universities have strong relationships with the industries and often encourage practice and research. Is this the case with Nigerian Universities? I don't think so.

Another writer makes the claim of "practice and academics", in attempt to differentiate these qualifications. This has been the song of the government and the stakeholders in the last two decades. Mr. Writer, it is the objective of every college/ university/ polytecnique to sell its products. You can liken this to an open market system where businesses try to be as competitive as possible in other to gain market share.

If a university cannot give its students the practical edge in their academic pursuits, then how are the students expected to perform well in the industry, upon their graduation from school? If the polytechnique student is not given the academic edge then how is he expected to perform and make improvements on his practice and further his education?

It is quite appalling that the government has failed in the area of planning. They have succeeded in creating a society where paper qualifications are worshiped. They need to promote practice and integration. They need to create a means of harmonizing these qualifications. The HND graduate should be allowed the option of taking a specific route to graduate school if he so chooses.

HND and BSc education are on similar level of education with a different focus. In the Western world, some of the notable engineering Institutions were created out of existing polytechniques (Reasler Polytechniqe University, Clarkson, NJIT- in the US; and NTNU, Heriot-Watt University, Imperial College- in Europe)

The Nigerian government has succeeded in frustrating its Polytechnique graduates. Most of them are stuck with their HND's for the rest of their careers because there are no laid out routes for them to continue their education. The University students, who are supposedly sound in academics, cannot even conduct researches in their specialized areas, reason why there are no research initiatives in Nigerian Universities.

In the last two decades, the Nigerian government has not been able to sell its own products. For the Nigerian educational system to succeed and be competitive, colleges must be able to improve on and sell their products.

I have once reviewed a BSc and a HND curriculum for the same course in two Nigerian colleges and my findings were shocking. They were similar in content. I wonder why there seems to be so much ado about these qualifications? I just think that it has to do with the class system as evident in most other areas of Nigerian society.

Someone needs to advice the US Dept of State's educational representative in Nigeria on the statement displayed on its website:

"Requirements for OND admission In Nigeria: Three credits or less at SSCE"

I believe that the OND is a pre-requisite to gain admission to the HND program.

Is the US Dept's statement on educational requirements true I don't think so. I believe they were wrongly informed.

AGAIN, the Nigerian government and the stakeholders of its educational sector must be able to sell its own products.

i think Nig. Govt has to realise that Polytechnics education are d best so far compare to universities education in Nigeria. Polytechnics beelive so much in praticals which i beleive is more reasonable that this wasted 4 yrs. @ universities.

.

arowolo:

what i really think about the nigeria polythecnics is that they are the best and i think for a country like nigeria we should encourage the nigerian polythecnics and this will authomatically boost the nigerian economy,in my own view i think all engineering courses should be diverted to the nigerian polythecnics so as to boost the nigeria technology because without technology a country cannot developed.

All na story jo!! Our government do not attach any importance to Technology; all they think about is the Niger-Delta crude oil and the income it brings into their pocket. They have never bothered to ask themselves when will they stop bringing in oyibo people to drill the oil for Nigeria?? when will Nigerians be in control of the on-shore and off-shore drilling of crude oil??

With the new policy they are cooking there will be no more polytechnics in the country. Technology have been murdered in Nigeria by our insensitive leaders. May God help Nigeria.

The National Policy on Education (2004) states that the polytechnics shall provide the technical knowledge and skills necessary for agricultural, industrial, commercial, and economic development of Nigeria. But, by their training, technical hands are equipped to self-employ and even create jobs.
The polytechnics are further mandated to give training and impart the necessary skills for the production of technicians, technologists and other skilled personnel who shall be enterprising and self-reliant.

Section 6 of the National Policy on Education, listed the Polytechnics as one of the five types of technical education institutions outside the Universities which offer technical education. It further defined technical education as that aspect of education, which leads to the acquisition of practical and applied skills as well as basic scientific knowledge. The polytechnics that most of the adaptive researches, relevant to national aspirations for development were being carried out.  Over 75 percent of polytechnic lecturers are university graduates and are designated as lecturers, having the career path of becoming Chief Lecturer, Head of School, and Rector. Polytechnic graduates are called instructors and cannot attain any of these positions except they get additional University degree.
This discrimination is now more prevalent in the larger society where some government agencies and private companies have refused to employ polytechnic graduates because of an organization called the congregation or the convocation, to be a member of the congregation, you should be a graduate  (which is not a right of Polytechnics graduate) and by the interpretation of the graduate, you have to be a degree holder. Because of that in the appointment of, say the Engineering personnel some with HND who are very good with a n Msc degree is sill regarded as inferior, can not be place in the position even with COREN engineering Technologists Certificate, because if you do, you are no more qualified to be a member of the congregation. So such things are there.

@HND-holder
what is the difference between polytechnic engineers and university engineers? Is it that the polytechnics don't do much as their university counterparts or what?

The lazy office type of engineer that believed in office work is not a university or polytechnic engineer, that is political engineer.
The University engineers are researchers, as well as the polytechnic but more into physical investigation and applications.

"This is attributed to the disparity and controversy between the HND and Bachelors degree, which resulted in many students opting for the university education, which is purely academic and theoretical as against polytechnic education which is practical and pragmatic."

I belong to the school of thot that rates Polytechnic students higher than University students and this is so because practical makes one more prepared for challenges ahead.University students are more of book not action


I think its high time d world stopped this issue of HND and Bachelors.It shld be classified as equal

@HND-holder

When will the discrimination against polytechnic graduates come to an end?? Will Yar'adua be able to solve the problem of polytechnics and Technical education in Nigeria??

All hope not lost. Can you imaging ASUP fighting not a good fight?

@HND-holder

Let government give ASUP and polytechnics the chance to build Nigeria, that is what the proffessor is asking for.

Not a bad idea @ all

http://www.geocities.com/nate88et76/technologist.html

And let us have an engineering team.

I think National Diploma(ND) is the Middle level Man Power not Higher National Diploma (HND)
Most Of our ledaers dnt know anything about Polytechnic Eduaction.
Some Federal and few states Polytechnic require Five credit passes to dia Pre-ND courses, talkless of getting admission to Full National Diploma Courses,

The Engineering Team
Scientists PhD
Engineers B.Eng
Engineering Technologists B.Tech/HND
Engineering Technicians ND/FTC
Vocational Technicians C&G/Trade Test

Scientists are the most theoretical of the team members. They typically seek ways to apply new discoveries to advance technology for mankind. Most engineering scientists have an earned doctorate in engineering or a closely related discipline.
Engineers use the knowledge of mathematics and natural sciences gained by study, experience, and practice, applied with judgment, to develop ways to economically use the materials and forces of nature for the benefit of mankind. Engineering involves a wide spectrum of activities extending from the conception, design, development and formulation of new systems and products through the implementation, production and operation of engineering systems.
Engineers often work closely with scientists in developing new technology via research projects.
A minimum of four years of study is required to become an engineer. Mathematics and science are emphasized.


Engineering Technologists are graduates of Polytechnics or University of Technology HND/B.Tech programs in engineering technology. They apply engineering and scientific knowledge combined with technical skills to support engineering activities. Their areas of interest and education are typically application oriented, while being somewhat less theoretically and mathematically oriented than their engineering counterparts. They typically concentrate their activities on applied design, using current engineering practices. Technologists play key roles on the engineering team; they are typically involved in product development, manufacturing, product assurance, sales, and program management. HND graduates often carry the title "engineer" in practice. The term "technologist" has more significance in academic circles. It is a FIVE years course in Nigeria.

where did you get this engineering stratification from?? Does FG recognise that??

This is the world standard,

Engineers Turn Ideas Into Reality
Engineers are problem-solvers--people who make things work better, more efficiently, quicker and less expensively. They serve humanity with skill and dedication and search for better ways to solve problems.

Engineering offers: Challenging jobs
Good pay and benefits
Lasting and tangible products
Help to humankind
Prestige and status
Teaming Up for Success

Engineers often work with other people on projects. When engineers, scientists, technologists and technicians work together it is called an engineering team.

The engineer has a strong science, mathematics and technology background and is a team leader. Engineers plan, design and supervise engineering projects from concept to completion.

An engineering technologist translates the engineer's designs into systems and projects while the engineering technician collects and analyzes data, develops design layouts, inspects work, checks and repairs equipment and prepares reports for the engineering team.

Preparing for the Challenge
Engineers solve problems by relying on their creative and academic skills. You should enjoy problem solving and be challenged by the effort it requires!

@ishmael
http://www.et.psu.edu/g_team.html

@HND HOLDER.

GOOD TALK BUT HOW LONG DO WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR GOVT 2 C THIS, HOW CAN WE SELL THIS FACTS TO MEDIA HOUSE TO PUBLISH. WE REALLY NEED TO PUT HEADS 2GETHER TO SAVE OURSELVES. ABI WETIN U THINK

@HND-holder

This stratification should be based on US educational system and does not relate to Nigeria, because in Nigeria there is no clear distinction between what the polytechnics and universities do in engineering. Polytechnic engineering students in Nigeria are said to be doing engineering technology but yet they do a lot of maths courses like their university counterparts. Or don't they do Algebra, Logic, Calculus, Real analysis, DE, Numerical analysis, Statistics etc in Engineering Technology courses in Nigeria Polytechnics?? They do Engineering and not Engineering Technology in our polytechnics if thats the case, since Mathematics is what seperates Engineering from Engineering Technology. With the level of Mathematics polytechnic students attain i think NBTE and NUC should come together and spell out the difference between Engineering Technology and Engineering, because it seems the polytechnic syllabus is almost richer than that of the university.

Nigerian HND specialized in engineering, I am a part Time lecturer and the core courses are technology in nature. Those that had HND Automobile in Mechanical engineering or Air Condition and refrigeration are all technologists. The old university syllabus should be thrown out as what is needed is this engineering technology addressing our needs. Degree 16 of 1985 9(1)a give all this details.

Listen to Bill Gates, at the Graduation ceremony at Harvard University.

He was a student there, but dropped out and never graduated

" I’ve been waiting more than 30 years to say this: “Dad, I always told you I’d come back and get my degree.”

I want to thank Harvard for this timely honor. I’ll be changing my job next year … and it will be nice to finally have a college degree on my resume.

I applaud the graduates today for taking a much more direct route to your degrees. For my part, I’m just happy that the Crimson has called
me “Harvard’s most successful dropout.” I guess that makes me valedictorian of my own special class … I did the best of everyone who failed.

But I also want to be recognized as the guy who got Steve Ballmer to drop out of business school. I’m a bad influence. That’s why I was invited to speak at your graduation. If I had spoken at your orientation, fewer of you might be here today.

Harvard was just a phenomenal experience for me. Academic life was fascinating. I used to sit in on lots of classes I hadn’t even signed up for. And dorm life was terrific. I lived up at Radcliffe, in Currier House. There were always lots of people in my dorm room late at night discussing things, because everyone knew I didn’t worry about getting up in the morning. That’s how I came to be the leader of the anti-social group. We clung to each other as a way of validating our rejection of all those social people.
"