The President of the Senate, Obong Godswill Akpabio, on Friday, promised to ensure enabling laws that would enhance the capacity of the nation’s polytechnics.
Akpabio, represented by Sen. Dandutse Muntari, at a One-Day Retreat for National Assembly Members, Chairmen of Governing Council, Rectors and other Stakeholders in the education sector, in Abuja, on Friday, organised in collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), said that President Bola Tinubu, under the renewed hope agenda, was committed to ensure the sustainability of employment opportunities and create industrial development through the polytechnics.
The retreat has the theme:’ Repositioning the Nigerian Polytechnics to Deliver on Nigeria’s Industrialisation and Youths Empowerment ‘.
According to Akpabio, the retreat is apt as Nigeria wants to improve the capacity of the polytechnics in Nigeria so that they could be innovative and also create job opportunities for Nigerians.
“Skills acquisition and all innovation starts with the polytechnics, so there is a need to change the curriculum and also look into the funding of polytechnics so that they can achieve what others did not achieve.
“For example, most of the developed countries, especially China and the rest of European countries, depend on skills acquisition to make inventions and innovations.
“So, it is important we harness these innovations and that is why we want to use the polytechnics and the educational system under our leadership to ensure that we have sustainable development,” he said.
Speaking on the planned industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), he called for comprehensive dialogue noting that strike was not a solution to most of these challenges in the institutions.
He further explained that the presidency and the leadership of education were doing their best in spite of the challenges, to ensure that prompt payments of their demands were made in addition to providing infrastructural development in the institutions.
Declaring the retreat open, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said it was imperative to strengthen polytechnics education in the country.
Alausa was represented by the Director, Department of Polytechnics Education and Allied Institutions in the ministry, Alex Usman.
He said this was necessary as polytechnics education played a central role in addressing the challenges of unemployment, underemployment and the growing demand for skilled labour.
“Education is the bedrock of any nation’s development and technical education in particular is a catalyst for industrial growth and innovation.
“The world is moving rapidly towards a knowledge driven economy where skills, creativity and technological advancement determine the strength of a nation.
“The importance of repositioning Nigerian polytechnics is strategic to drive the industrialisation agenda and empower youths who are the backbone of our economy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, NBTE, Idris Bugaje, encouraged polytechnics to stop paper qualifications but deliver on skills and employability to ensure skills qualification for graduates.
Bugaje, while emphasising the importance of the retreat, said it would synergise stakeholders to deliver on the mandate of Polytechnics education.
In a goodwill address, the President of ASUP, Shammah Kpanja, called on stakeholders to be mindful of the need to always avert industrial action in repositioning polytechnics education.
Kpanja pledged to continue to partner with the government in ensuring a seamless academic calendar in the polytechnics across the country.
NAN