Rector of the Kwara state Polytechnic, Ilorin, Alhaji Mas’ud Elelu, has said that the institution has not increased tuition fees, against protests by some persons in the state.
This is just as the state commissioner for Tertiary Education in the state, Dr. Amina Ahmed, said that some persons have been arrested over recent protest on the purported tuition fee hike.
It is recalled that some students had last week protested alleged increase in the tuition fees of both first year Higher National Diploma (HND 1) and National Diploma (ND 1) of the institution.
Speaking at the 24th convocation ceremony of the Polytechnic in Ilorin on Wednesday, the rector said that the protesting persons were never students of the institution.
“Most times students displayed immaturity and impatience in their approach to issues; a recent instance is the immaturity displayed by some miscreants, who are never students of our institution on the false allegation of school fees increase. When in actual fact, there was no increase at all”, he said.
Making case for technical education, the rector emphasized that: “It is pertinent to stress at this juncture, that in this 21st century; no nation can have a strong economy and experience sustainable
development without a skilled workforce. Nigeria needs to revitalize and galvanize its technical schools.
“We therefore call on the Federal and State governments to review their policy on technical education by breathing more life to technical schools. Individuals who have the technical hands-on are more needed now to provide the necessary “basic raw materials” for positive engagement of Polytechnics products.
“The Technical Colleges can easily plug into the Polytechnic system than their counterparts from Secondary or Grammar Schools. If our dream to invent, innovate, fabricate tools and equipment which would ease our operations is to be realized therefore, we need more of Technical Colleges now than ever before.
“On our part, we shall network with local masons, Artisans, Craftsmen, Printers, Painters, Motor mechanics, builders, fashion designers, shoe makers/cobblers, GSM phone repairers, wrist watch makers, welders, vulcanizers, soap makers, cosmetologists, et cetera in order to tap from their possessed skills and also feed them with the required knowledge in their domains, improve on their attitude so that they can excel, attract, sustain patronage and ultimately contribute meaningfully to the national economy.
“The world is treading the skills highway for obvious reasons– generate wealth and create job opportunities. Skills competition has become an annual event which Nigeria has to key into”, he said.
Also speaking, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state, represented by the commissioner for Tertiary education, Dr. Amina Ahmed, said that the state government had injected about N2 billion into small and medium scale enterprises and micro credit schemes in the state.
He said the aim was to promote entrepreneurship and agriculture in the state.
“Let me at this point state that it is important that more institutions begin to include entrepreneurship courses in their curriculum so that at the end their studies, new graduates will have the confidence to start up their own businesses and be employers of labour and not job seekers.
“I am glad that the Kwara state Polytechnic is keeping up with the times as the institution has made entrepreneurship studies mandatory. I am certain this will go a long in preparing students of the polytechnic for the future.”