He also announced plans by the ministry to release N15bn for the revitalisation of facilities in public polytechnics across the country.
Adamu, who disclosed this at a retreat for chairmen of governing councils and principal officers of Federal Polytechnics, said: “Of great importance is the provision in the National Policy on Education under technology education, where not less than 70 per cent of admissions into polytechnics shall be in technology-based courses.”
Adamu, who was represented by the acting permanent secretary in the ministry, Mr David Gende, urged the council and management to strictly comply with the policy, as the ministry will continue to monitor the level of compliance.
He enjoined polytechnic administrators to be abreast of current laws, policies, white papers, circulars, gazettes and other relevant documents that will assist them in taking decisions without undue interference in the day-to-day running of the institutions.
The retreat was organised by NBTE, in collaboration with the Committee of Federal Polytechnic Rectors (COFER).
Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, expressed concern over the present state of polytechnics in the country, saying all hands must be on deck to reposition them.
He said: “Our admissions should be guided by an accurate database for manpower planning as well as skill gaps. The quest to put Higher National Diploma (HND) at par with Bachelors degree (BSc) in the scheme and condition of service of the federation is moving at a snail speed.
“Poor public perception and apathy towards Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), has become like a cultural taboo, while other countries, such as Germany, have 80 per cent of their students going for TVET with only 20 per cent going to universities. In the United Kingdom, master craftsmen earn three times more than a professor. In Nigeria, our eyes are yet to open to TVET.
“Universities are swallowing polytechnics. Polytechnics and universities are parallel, we are not feeders. The College of Education (COE) feeds the university system, if you convert COE to a university, you are upgrading it, but if you convert polytechnic to a university, you are degrading it, and this will not help the economy. We must stop this craving of converting polytechnics to universities.”
Chairman, organising committee, Prof. Emmanuel Fasakin, called on the Federal Government to implement the payment of N15b for revitalisation of facilities in public polytechnics.
