FG laments poor management of funds in tertiary institutions

THE Federal Government has lamented that poor management of funds allocated to the tertiary institutions, especially polytechnics and colleges of education, has been the major challenge of the sub-sector.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who said this while  inaugurating the governing councils of new eight federal polytechnics and six  federal colleges of education, also warned the council members against corruption and interference in the day-to-day operations of the institutions.

He said: “Poor management of funds remains a major operational constraint in the sector. It is expected that the limited funds allocated by the government should be judiciously utilised.

“Also, it is evident that the government alone cannot provide all the funds required to run the federal polytechnics and colleges of education, therefore the councils should think out of the box and endeavour to generate more revenue outside of the government allocations.

“In this regard, the councils should enlist the support of philanthropic organisations, individuals and other sources of revenue through endowment for additional funding of their institutions,” he said.

The minister warned the council members that President Muhammadu Buhari would not hesitate to dissolve any council found to be corrupt and/or incompetent, noting however, that with the calibre of men and women being inaugurated, “I am hopeful that he would have no need to exercise his powers in this regard.”

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Adamu urged  the councils to respect the ‘Principle of Federal Character’ in the appointment of members of staff, saying some polytechnics and colleges of education have become parochial and primordial enclaves and the concept of universalism in education has been jettisoned, especially in matters regarding staff employment.

He particularly charged members of the councils to work with the Federal Character Commission to ensure compliance.

He added that the drive to revamp the quality output of higher education in Nigeria rest squarely on the shoulders of the governing councils, saying he was confident that they would bring their wealth of experience, adherence to and respect for the rule of law and due process to bare in the discharge of their duties.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic, Ohodo, Enugu State, Dr Silva Ameh, said the bane of polytechnic education in Nigeria has been the misplaced emphasis on paper qualification rather than practical orientation.

Ameh told Nigerian Tribune in an interview at the inauguration ceremony that Polytechnics in the country have derailed from their original purpose of creating them, explaining that the Federal Polytechnic Act of 1979, which gave legal power to the establishment of Polytechnics in Nigeria states the main purpose of Polytechnic Education in Nigeria is to produce middle level manpower to man power to manage the nation’s growing economy.

He said: “By design, Polytechnic Education provides students who are prospective employees with hands-on practical experience and knowledge that meet the needs of the industry.

“Sadly, the misplaced emphasis on paper qualification has however caused   a shift from the practical orientation of polytechnics as drivers of industrial development. It is the shift in focus that led to the production of more engineers than technologists, technicians and craftsmen.

“In Ohodo, we must make the polytechnic education more attractive to halt preference for University education,” he said.