The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), has said that the Polytechnic in the country has suffered so much neglect while urging the federal government to change the situation if there is to be an improvement of manpower.
The National President of ASUP, Mr. Anderson Ezeibe, National President, during a briefing with newsmen, at ASUP’sPublic Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria in Jos, regretted the “utter neglect” of the technical and vocational education sub-sector.
Ezeibe bemoans the poor state of polytechnics in Nigeria and declared them un-safe for academic activities following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The sub-sector is replete with details of neglect in terms of governance processes, funding, the policy direction of the government, and well being of members of staff.
“Public Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria have continued to reel in heavy funding deficit and total neglect.
“The needs assessment report of 2014 as it affects the funding deficit in the sector is yet to be implemented and the rot in the sector continues to deepen.
“Capital appropriations from the nation’s budget over the years have been grossly inadequate, coming in trickles, while in the states, institutions are only surviving on the benevolence of interventionist agencies, particularly TETFund,” he said.
The ASUP National President, also pointed out that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had further exposed the vulnerable nature of Polytechnics as none of the institutions could cope with the basic safe resumption requirements like adequate security, appropriate sanitation, hygiene, as well as proper medical provision.
“We don’t have any quarantine or isolation centers in the event that when school resumes students can isolate in them, in case of any infection.
“There is nothing on ground to show that our campuses are safe for academic activities to resume,” he maintained.
The union called on the government to provide adequate security in campuses for members and students and also resume the re-negotiation of the union’s agreement with the government.
Other demands by the Union include the commencement of implementation of the needs assessment report for Polytechnics.
ASUP is also calling for the recall of dismissed colleagues in the Institute of Management Technology, Enugu, Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.
On the new minimum wage, Ezeibe pleaded with the government to implement it in states that are yet to do so, insisting the gesture will be a morale booster, that will help increase productivity.
Recall, that Polytechnic institutions in Nigeria, over the years, has been neglected and their certificate highly discriminated by employers of labor.
