From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has called for the establishment of a National Polytechnic Commission to regulate tertiary polytechnic education in Nigeria.
The union argues that the exponential growth in the number and profile of polytechnics over the past four decades, coupled with the increasing workload of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), which oversees over 700 institutions, necessitates the creation of a dedicated regulatory body.
In a statement issued in Abuja over the weekend, ASUP President Comrade Shammah S. Kpanja expressed the union’s full support for a bill currently before the House of Representatives. The bill, sponsored by Hon. Idu Igariwey (SB 673), seeks to establish the National Polytechnic Commission to enhance regulation and align polytechnic education governance with practices in other tertiary education sub-sectors.
According to the statement, the proposed bill has progressed significantly, now awaiting its final reading and passage in the House of Representatives.
This follows a public hearing held in August 2024, during which key stakeholders and the Federal Ministry of Education endorsed the initiative. The ministry’s Road Map for Education (2024–2027) also includes the establishment of the Commission as a priority.
“This effort is a step in the right direction,” said Kpanja. “It comes after several failed legislative attempts on the same subject in the past.”
However, ASUP expressed concerns over parallel moves to establish a “National Commission for Technical Education,” which it dismissed as a mere name change without addressing the unique challenges of polytechnic education.
“We are surprised to read about attempts to create a commission for technical education, which we see as a distraction from the laudable efforts of the House of Representatives,” the statement read.
The union reiterated its position, emphasizing the need to “unbundle” the current structure under the NBTE by establishing a dedicated regulatory body for tertiary polytechnic institutions.
“The Federal Ministry of Education must maintain consistency in its support for this bill and avoid distractions caused by superficial proposals that lack substance,” the statement added.
ASUP pledged to explore all legitimate avenues to ensure the passage of the bill, highlighting its importance for effective regulation and the advancement of polytechnic education in Nigeria.
