Nigeria’s polytechnics have lost mandate —Bells VC

Vice chancellor, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Professor Jeremiah Ojediran, has said that polytechnics in the nation have lost their mandate of training middle class manpower for national growth.

He disclosed this in Ota last Friday while addressing newsmen at a press conference to herald the ninth convocation ceremony of the institution.

The don explained that the Federal Government came up with the idea of federal universities of technology when polytechnic education had failed to train middle class citizens.

He noted that too much emphasis had been placed on certificates at the expense of good skills acquisition.

Ojediran said: “The polytechnic has lost its mandate. I know what I’m saying. I worked as a lecturer in a polytechnic for eight years before joining the university system in 1992.

“They are meant to produce middle class manpower for the country; instead, they are struggling to write papers and what have you, like the universities. As an escape route, the government came up with the University of Technology, where students are trained to use their hands practically and effectively.

“That was why SIWES (Students Industral Work Experience), among other programmes was introduced. Here at BELLSTECH, our students are sent out in order to match the industry with academics, and you will discover that they become more intelligent on completion of the practical exercise. In fact, they understand everything you teach them in the classroom because they have had some experiences.”

He added that graduates of the university had continued to contribute positively to solving some of the challenges confronting the society for meaningful development.

Ojediran said a total of 384 students would be graduating from various disciplines in the first degree programmes and 57 from the postgraduate s.

Professor Ojediran further said that 37 students would be graduating with First Class Honours; 128 Second Class honours (Upper Division); 152 Second Class honours (Lower Division) and 67 with Third Class degrees for the 2015/2016 academic session.

The convocation ceremony, which will hold on Saturday, Novemeber 4, will be preceeded by various activities, such as health walk, technology fair, and convocation lecture entitled: ‘The New Generation of Africa SMEs: The Diverse and Inspiring Experiences of 3000+,’ to be delivered by the chairman, Heirs Holding, Mr Tony Elumelu, on Friday, 3 November, 2017.