Celebrated columnist, Festus Adedayo, has revealed how underfunding and dichotomy between polytechnics and universities are killing technical education in Nigeria.
Adedayo, a Ph.d and lawyer, made this known at the combined convocation lecture of the Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, AOPE, convocation lecture on Thursday.
According the former media adviser to late former governor Abiola Ajimobi, whose lecture was entitled Reinventing Polytechnic Education for 21st-century Nigeria, the major challenges of Nigeria polytechnics, range from underfunding to deterioration of infrastructure, low status accorded polytechnics, and lack of appropriate management boards when compared to their universities and colleges of education counterparts.
Proffering solutions to the myriads of challenges bedeviling Nigeria polytechnics, he said that “So, the first thing to do if we want to get polytechnic education to become a driver of growth in a 21st-century Nigeria is to defrost the minds of critical stakeholders and governments of this subsisting superiority complex given to the university.
“The second, which flows from the first, is that of funding. I believe that once critical stakeholders are able to wean themselves of the second-fiddle role they cast for polytechnics, it will be easy to properly fund technical/polytechnic Education appropriately in Nigeria so that they can fulfill their foundational goals for the country,” he concluded
At the convocation, which was the maiden since the institution got autonomy, chairman of the governing council, Professor Abiodun Ojo, appreciated everyone present, admonishing graduands to attend the main event, which comes up tomorrow.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Gbade Akinteye, the Acting Rector of the institution, appreciated the guest speaker for keeping it a date to make it to the event, despite its earlier rescheduling. He equally appreciated the Governing Council for their efforts toward making the event a success.
Finally, he promised to make the convocation ceremony a permanent part of the academic calendar.
The lecture had in attendance several dignitaries, including Governing Council of the institution led by Prof. Abiodun Ojo; representatives of Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance, Mr Adewale and Mr Adebayo, respectively; Chairman, Eruwa Council of Elders, Chief Peluola; Representative of Onilala of Lanlate, Chief Olagboye J.P.; Asiwaju of Eruwaland, Chief Fadairo; Pioneer President, Oyo State Customary Court, Hon. Justice S.A. Akinteye, Provost & Registrar, Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate, among others.
