The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) on Thursday commended the House of Representatives for a bill establishing commission for Polytechnics in Nigeria which scaled second reading in the floor of the House.
The National Public Relations Officer of the union, Comrade Itoro Ekanem, in a statement also urge other stakeholders in education sector to support the House of Representatives to passage of the bill.
He said the news of the bill passing through second reading at the House of Representatives has reduce the tension by members who are grappling under difficult condition due to economic situation in the country.
Comrade Ekanem said if passed into law, most challenges fronting the Polytechnics sub sector would be address.
He said the bill which is sponsored by Hon. Idu Igariwey from Ebonyi state was also recognised by the Federal Ministry of Education in this dispensation as the same was captured in the approved ministerial roadmap for the education sector covering 2024 to 2027.
The statement reads in part: Our Union has been reliably informed that the Federal House of Representatives has passed the second reading of the bill for an act to establish a dedicated commission for Polytechnics in Nigeria.
“The bill which is sponsored by Hon. Idu Igariwey from Ebonyi state passed through the first reading in November, 2023 before it’s successful passage for the second reading at the floor of the House of Representatives today.
Indeed, the absence of a dedicated commission to concentrate on the proper regulation of Polytechnics as one of the legs of the tertiary education tripod has for several years been seen as one of the posters of discrimination against Nigeria’s endangered Polytechnic system as the other tiers of tertiary education in the country have dedicated commissions in the National Universities Commission and National Commission for Colleges of Education for universities and colleges of education respectively.
“It is therefore commendable that the House of Representatives views this bill by Hon. Igariwey and his colleagues as progressive and in furtherance of the need to ensure equity and appropriate fulfilment of the establishment mandates of Polytechnics in the country.
“This same need was recognised by the Federal Ministry of Education in this dispensation as the same was captured in the approved ministerial roadmap for the education sector covering 2024 to 2027.
“This piece of good news has also assuaged the growing feeling of misery in the sector occasioned by the deplorable economic situation in the country and the refusal of the government to implement the reviewed salary structure in the sector which took effect from January, 2023 amongst other challenges threatening industrial harmony in the sector.
“We equally urge the Federal Ministry of Education to step up the execution of other defining aspects of the ministerial roadmap for the sector including the degree awarding status for Polytechnics so as to save the sector from total collapse.
Our Union therefore applauds this move by the Federal House of Representatives which is in tandem with the Federal Ministry of Education’s plan for the sector and encourages all stakeholders in the education sector to rally in support of the national assembly as they prepare for the remaining stages of this ground breaking piece of legislation due to its well documented benefits”.
