Provost wants all colleges, polytechnics to award degrees

THE provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Dr Sijibomi Olusanya, has made a case for all institutes, colleges and polytechnics in Nigeria to be allowed to award the bachelor degree.

This, he said, is the most effective way of addressing the seemingly intractable problem of discrimination between the degree and diploma certificate holders, as well as the perceived low interest of candidates in pursuing careers in technical and vocational education.

Dr Olusanya made the call while addressing newsmen during the sensitisation programme for the 50th  anniversary of the institution slated for November later this year.

He said a proposal had been presented to government that every college of education should be allowed to run both the NCE (Nigeria Certificate in Education) and the degree programmes, on their own without affiliation.

FCE(T) currently runs degree programmes in affiliation with the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, and the University of Benin, Edo State.

“If they (students) want to have a degree in technical education, let them have the opportunity to have it. Once they know that they will end up with a degree, it is possible that they will show interest,” he noted.

Dr Olusanya cited the American education system as an example, where, according to him, institutes, colleges and polytechnics issue degree certificates – even up to the doctorate.

“After high school, they will look at the number of years; it’s a two-year programme, they call it ‘associate degree’; if it’s a four-year programme, they call it ‘bachelor degree’.

“So, whether it’s Bachelor of Technology or Bachelor of Science, there is no discrimination that ‘this one is HND’, ‘that one is degree’. All over the world, colleges, even institutes, issue certificates up to the PhD level.

“But our own belief here is that if you attend a college, you cannot have more than the NCE – which is wrong. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, one of the best higher institutions in the USA, is an institute; and it awards degrees even up to PhD.”

The removal of this discrimination, he said, would help develop technical and vocational education (TVE).

As part of activities for the 50th anniversary celebrations, the college, last Tuesday, presented its maiden college anthem, which was rendered by the college choir, conducted by Mrs Ruth Lawal.

The inauguration of the anniversary logo as well as an endowment committee (headed by Dr Kunle Filani) was also performed by the provost.

While inaugurating the committee, Dr Olusanya told the members that the college expected a lot from them, and that the school management would support them in every way necessary to make them succeed.