We’ll Address HND, Degree Dichotomy, Other Challenges, Reps Committee Assures Polytechnics’ Rectors
By Juliet Vincent
The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education has assured the dichotomy between Degree and Higher National Diploma (HND) in status and employment in the country will be eliminated.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Fuad Kayode Laguda gave the assurance during an interactive oversight engagement with the Rectors of Federal Polytechnic, Shendam in Plateau State and Federal Polytechnic, Wannune, Benue State at the National Assembly on Thursday.
He added that, there are a number of proposed Bills to address the various challenges facing polytechnics in the country which are all aimed to strengthen them to provide the needed professional technical expertise towards the country’s quest for development.
Rep. Laguda informed the Rectors that the essence of the meeting was to assess their budget performance and know the challenges facing the institutions and find the way to support them to run smoothly and serve their intended purposes.
He said, “As we approach the 2025 budget year that’s coming next, we need to actually see to the performance of current year, previous years, to ascertain and to know to what level we will be doing future work, and to also understand what your individual challenges are in your institution and what you will require to move on”.
In his presentation, the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Nyam-Shendam, Dr. Mikaila Zakari Yau, said they are still struggling to stay afloat since the creation of the institution in 2021 which he said kicked off from a primary school building in the community.
He said, “We are just giving a bush like this, donated by the state government as a start-up”.
Dr. Ya’u said N2 billion was given to them by TetFund as take-off grant, part of which was used to buy a water tanker because there is no water in the school, renovated the existing primary school and carryout other projects for the takeoff of the institution.
He, however, said there was no take-off grant from the Federal Ministry of Education but there has been steady budget with a fair release which enabled the institution to execute capital projects and structures needed for learning.
The Committee however frowned at the fact that, the school has only 27 students for three years despite having with an academic and non academic strength of 245.
In his presentation, the Rector, Federsl Polytechnic, Wannune, Benue State, Dr Tyover Ashinya apologised for what happened about the plan by the Committee to visit the school and the statement credited to him which they found uncomplimentary.
He said, the school also started in 2021 and was the last six polytechnic that were established during the second tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said, “So when the school came on board, we were given, as usual, there was a take-off grant. And if you go there now, we judiciously use the take-off ground for administrative block, academic block, classrooms, offices.
“We have whatever for a better start of an institution. And if you equally go there, we’ve been able to have students, because when we came on board, we decided that this school, within the vicinity, is going to be a wonderful catchment position for our students. So we have students of almost 1,000, at least,” he said.
The Bursar and Director of Planning of Federal Polytechnic Wannune reeled out details of the school’s finances as well as projects before the Committee.
However, the Committee observed that the presentations by the two institutions are both defective.
According to the Committee, there are many details that are required which were not presented like employment, adherence to federal character and others.
Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Laguda directed them to repackage their presentations and were given five working days to re-submit.
He said, “If you make a political decision as well, if I don’t appreciate the number of students, what I know is that the report is not accurate. You agree that the report is not accurate? Okay…let’s save ourselves the continuous agony and let’s also save ourselves face.
“I think at this point, if you can own up and say that you know your report is inaccurate, I would be saying to all my members and say that we grant you the grace to resubmit another report to us.
“That would be more comprehensive and I’ll be able to speak to all these questions we’ve been asking you all day. We do need pictures,” he said.
