STOPPING POLYTECHNICS FROM AWARDING DEGREES DISCRIMINATORY – ASUP 

The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Dr Anderson Ezeibe, has described the tertiary education system in Nigeria as one that cannot stand global competitiveness.

Ezeibe, who spoke in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Sunday, also faulted the decision of the Federal Government to stop polytechnics from awarding degrees.

The ASUP president described the decision as discriminatory while adding that the carrying capacity of Nigerian universities is not enough for the number of degree-seeking candidates.

He said, “All over the world, institutions that meet the curriculum, manpower and infrastructural demands for the production of graduands in any class of certification, whether degree, diploma, or other sub-degree certifications are allowed to run such programmes, irrespective of the name of the institution. Yet in Nigeria, our indolent officials continue to deploy retrogressive tools like these misplaced directives to underdevelop tertiary education in the country.

Ezeibe maintained that degree-awarding status was not and could not be the exclusive preserve of universities

He argued that the Nigerian university system could not cope with the surge of young Nigerians searching for degree certification, while the reverse was the case with the polytechnic system.