Stakeholders call for adequate funding for polytechnics

Stakeholders call for adequate funding for polytechnics.

Stakeholders have called for adequate funding for Polytechnics for effective and efficient service delivery.

Rising from a conference with theme: “Motivation, Productivity and Institutional Progress: The Challenges of Harnessing the Potential of the Federal Polytechnics” in Ado-Ekiti, they noted that the perennial paucity of funds for polytechnic education have been aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, among other factors.

The event was organised by the 11th Governing Council the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, chaired by Chief Iyiola Oyedepo, to bring together critical stakeholders to brainstorm on ways to improve the revenue generation capacity of the Polytechnic .

“To ensure optimum productivity in the Polytechnic system, the federal government must scale up its allocation to Polytechnics.

”States and Local Governments’ funding of Polytechnics education should also be encouraged.

To further boost funding of the Polytechnic education, participants said management must always harness resources from national and international organization like World Bank, TetFund, and other international donors, among others.

It further noted that the Polytechnic with its large expanse of land has the potential of enhancing productivity if the land can be used optimally for various forms of agriculture, e.g crop production, livestock etc.

Participants also said research must be prioritised and geared towards obtaining research grant which should be judiciously utilized.

“For Polytechnic system to compete favourably well with the best global practice, its curriculum must be regularly reviewed with a view to regulating national and global contemporary issues and challenges.

“For any progress to be recorded in the Polytechnic education, the place of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) must not be undermined.

“Collaboration of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the delivery of high quality, cost effective higher education, e.g. Students’ Hostel accommodation,’ they said.

Participants also called on polytechnic governing boards to approach Financial Institutions to discharge their social responsibility like donation of buildings, textbooks, teaching and learning aids.

“There should be synergy between the Alumni Association and the Institution for Developmental projects.

They also called for the setting up of the Institution’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) units to look into the potential of IGR sources within the system.

They identified the sources of the IGR within the system to include: continued Education Centre, Digital Library, ICT, Poly Venture, CEDCS, DUDAP, while some departments were also highlighted.

“With the quantum of Ph.D holders in the Polytechnic system, efforts must be geared towards empowering the Polytechnic system to mount post graduate courses to harness the potentials in our egg heads.

“There should be a synergy between the technical college and our Polytechnics with a view of training skilled students and instructors.

“Graduates in the Technical college can be more suitable to achieve the mandate of the Polytechnic,” they said.