It is unfortunate that the polytechnic system here in Nigeria had lost its vibrancy. I can remember when I was little and heard people say Polytechnics graduates were the best. Why? Because they were good in practicals as well as in theory. Prospective candidates willingly opted to attend the polytechnics. And the products of the institutions were extremely rated high by employers of labour. But with the introduction of 6-3-3-4 structure, the polytechnics were deprived of a placed in the educational system.? Consequently the polytechnics system lost its attraction. This resulted in the current congestion in the universities.
Captivatingly, Britain, our former colonial master, was once faced with such policy contradiction. Having realised from the public craze for the university degree, Britain gradually converted its polytechnics to universities. Today it can be said that there are no more polytechnics in Britain. The net result is that it has continued to progress technologically and economically.
I recommended that the line of dichotomy between the polytechnics and the universities must be functionally removed to avoid holding a good percentage of patriots who would have contributed to our developing technological culture.
It is my submission that the government should revisit the education policy and structure with a view to bringing the over 60 polytechnics in the country into the main stream of the system. I suggest that while vigorously pursuing the private universities initiative, a gradual process of converting our polytechnics to universities should commence.
Tags: Polytechnics, Universities, Britain
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