On the alarming fake Polytechnics in Nigeria

Universities and polytechnics all over the world are accepted as the citadel of learning and development of human resources. As a matter of fact, the whole intellectual and professional life of any country depends on sound higher education, especially university and polytechnic education that provides quality graduates of international standard.

Nigerian polytechnic system sprang out of the need to urgently address the problem of shortage of manpower with technical and vocational skills and knowledge. Undisputably, technical education has been identified as the key to the technological growth and development of any country. This sector is so important to the well being of the nation that it should never be compromised.

Basically, polytechnic education in Nigeria must live up to its mandate as technological institutions that produce technological manpower for technological advancement of the country. More than three decades after the first set of polytechnics were established, the technological backwardness of Nigeria is symptomatic of the fact that technical education might have been greatly undermined.

It is obvious that polytechnics in Nigeria are confronted with enormous challenges. That explains why they have not been able to deliver on their mandate of producing high quality technical manpower that is needed for technological advancement and self-reliance of Nigeria. However, this article will restrict itself to commenting on fake private polytechnics — a national challenge that should not be treated with levity.

The proliferation of illegal and unaccredited private polytechnics all over Nigeria is worrisome. However, the measure taken by the NBTE in order to caution members of the public on these illegal institutions is commendable. This alarm is important because it forewarns gullible members of the public to avoid these institutions like a plague.

It is even more worrisome that some of these fake institutions allegedly claim to be operating with the approval of the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE. If this is true, then there is every justification to suspect that there might be a racket involving some corrupt elements within the NBTE that are issuing approvals to such institutions without following due process. Who are these unscrupulous elements within the ranks of the NBTE? The only way to find out the answer to this question is to carry out an investigation.

That the NBTE makes public the list of private polytechnics that it has given the nod to operate is commendable. It implies that the organization is transparent in its approach to this issue. Therefore, any institution whose name is not on the NBTE list is operating illegally. So far, NBTE has issued approval to only 61 private polytechnics to operate in Nigeria.

CAPITAL POST will be carrying out a widespread report that will focus on the operations of unregistered private polytechnics in Nigeria. The report will be aimed at helping the public identify these unregistered institutions, and for the NBTE which is responsible for regulating technical education in Nigeria to clamp down on them and their operators.