By Amaka Abayomi & Ikenna Asomba

Following the disclosure by the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau, of the Federal Government’s intention to establish federal Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in states where there are none, educationists are sceptical on the workability of such a project, saying government should rather focus on adequately catering for the existing institutions.

Cross section of candidates during an exam

Recall that at an interactive session with journalists in Kano late last year, Shekarau said the establishment of these institutions of higher learning by this present administration was to ensure that each state in the country has a federal polytechnic and a college of education.

“Mr President has two main focuses on the education sector, to increase access and improve the quality of education at all levels and government would continue to pay attention to the education sector in order to improve the socio-economic status of the people.

“Education is the bedrock of any socio-economic and political development, hence the need to equip our educational institutions with up-to-date infrastructure and relevant text books to improve the quality,” the Minister said. Commending the Federal Government for planning to increase access to higher education, the President, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, Mr. Chibuzor Asomugha, also pointed out that such a move comes with its advantages and disadvantages.

According to the ASUP President; “while commending the Federal Government for its efforts at trying to increase access to education, we must not fail to remind government that it is important to consider how these new institutions would be funded, how to source for manpower and how they can be made autonomous so that they can be at par with their counterparts globally.

Existing polytechnics

“These are important issues to trash out because we don’t want these new polytechnics to be like the existing ones that have been long abandoned and are in a state of limbo.”

Pointing out that the idea of establishing Colleges of Education is outdated, the Provost, Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, MOCPED, Epe, Lagos State, Professor Olu Akeusola, is rather calling for the upgrading of existing polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

“The establishment of federal polytechnics and Colleges of Education in all the states of the federation would not solve the problems in the education sector as the existing ones are not properly equipped and catered for.

“The problem with the Federal Government is that it is fond of taking one step forward and three steps backwards. There are 124 federal and state owned Colleges of Education in Nigeria but none of them are degree awarding institutions.

“The concept of establishing Colleges of Education is moribund and outdated. What we should be clamouring for is for these institutions be allowed to award both NCE and degrees to its students. There is also the need to for these institutions to be upgraded in terms of improved funding and better and functional facilities.”

In the same vein, the National President, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU, Mr. Emmanuel Asagha, said the need to establish more Colleges of Education is imperative if the intention is solely to address the gaps in teacher and technical education needs in the country.

He said “It’s a welcome development given the rising proliferation of substandard private Colleges of Education and the threats of their corrupting potentials.

“there is the obvious need for more qualified teachers to meet the manpower needs in this critical sector, especially with the increasing demand for tertiary admission spaces which is presently limited in the most preferred tripod (university).

Proper funding

“The first evidence of their sincerity and commitment to this ‘huge’ thinking shall be: the comprehensive implementation of the 2012 Visitation report and the 2014 Needs Assessment Report for the existing Colleges; the proper funding and deliberate equipping of the existing ones to meet international standards; and harmonization of conditions of service in all tripods to check against attrition to the Colleges by UTME candidates.

“Others are to deliberately make the teaching profession attractive to give ‘hope’ to entrants; and the critical stakeholders should be carried along to better appreciate how the get it right.

“However, the timing as it was for the 12 new Universities in terms of the somewhat inevitable political goals is worrisome.