…Says many institutions in confusion
….Condemns 7% earmarked for education in budget
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Tuesday, said that the polytechnics in the country were at the verge of being wiped out.
ASUP lamented that many young people are no longer interested in going to polytechnics because the government has de-marketed the institution by maintaining a disparity between higher national diplomas (HND) offered by polytechnics and bachelor degrees offered by universities.
The union also said the current bill before the National Assembly which indicates underwhelming 7.8% is provided for the education sector, implies that the country is further away from a solution to the underfunding in the sector.
ASUP President, Mr Anderson Ezeibe stated these at a press conference in Abuja heralding the Union’s National Delegates Conference coming up Wednesday
Ezeibe further said there was confusion in the polytechnic system as many have been operating without the full complement of their governance structures since June, 2023, while unqualified and incompetent persons are being appointed to run some of the institutions.
According to him, “Some of these polytechnics are actually in confused states as processes for the appointment of principal officers have been disrupted, staff appraisal processes cannot be concluded, staff disciplinary processes cannot be concluded and other statutory duties of the
governing councils cannot be executed.
“Continued retention of 5 persons described as unfit and unqualified to be appointed rectors in 5 new federal polytechnics in Monguno, Shendam, Wannune, Ugep and Ohodo can only be interpreted from the perspective of the government deliberately undermining proper administration of the affected polytechnics.”
“The disregard for extant laws in the appointment of principal officers in these polytechnics by the federal government has emboldened different state governments to tow the same path as several state governments are in the business of violating their own laws in principal officers’ appointment processes.
Ezeibe called for the the immediate reconstitution of all dissolved governing councils of
polytechnics in accordance with extant rules and well as the removal of the 5 unfit and unqualified persons currently pretending to be rectors of some of the new federal polytechnics in the country
He also called for the stoppage of the appointment of unqualified persons as principal officers in
polytechnics in Nigeria; the Immediate release of the scheme of service for polytechnics and the faithful implementation of the approved roadmap for the education sector particularly as it affects the establishment of a national commission for polytechnics as well as granting of degree awarding status for polytechnics.
Additionally, the Union President demanded the upward review of the budgetary provisions for education in the 2024 appropriation bill before the National Assembly to reflect actual needs for the sector; total withdrawal of the 2021 circular requesting institutions to make remittances of their internally generated funds and Immediate implementation of the approved new wage structure of 35% and 25% for chief lecturers and other categories of staff in the sector with the arrears.
Also in his demands were: the release of owed promotion arrears; the unconditional release of the eight months owed salaries of university staff in the country, as well as return to the table of renegotiation to enable a proper renegotiation of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement, amongst others.
“While we expect the government to work assiduously towards a revamp of the education sector, we expect that the issues highlighted in this document should be given requisite attention. These are key items undermining the functionality of the education sector in general and polytechnic education in particular.” Ezeibe stated.