The Federal Government has scrapped all specialised universities and monotechnics in the country, just as it has presented operational license to five new private polytechnics.
The affected institutions include all universities of agriculture, universities of technology, colleges of agriculture, marine and fisheries.
The five new private polytechnics are Igbajo Polytechnic, Igbajo (Osun State), King’s Polytechnic, Ubiaja, (Edo State) Covenant Polytechnic, Aba, (Abia State), Temple Gate Polytechnic, Aba, (Abia State) and Heritage Polytechnic, Eket, (Cross River State).
The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, made this known on Monday in Kaduna at a consultative meeting between the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical education, Dr. Masu’ud Kazaure, and the rectors of polytechnics, colleges of technology, provosts of monotechnics and principals of technical colleges in Nigeria and the presentation of operational licences to newly established Innovation Enterprise Institutions, Vocational Enterprise Institutes and private polytechnics.
Rufa’i, who declared the meeting open, said that the institutions affected by the government’s new decision had been ordered to diversify and expand their operations while maintaining their specialty and focus.
The minister said, “The Federal Government has concluded arrangements that there will no longer be monotechnics or universities with single courses or specialised universities. All monotechnics and specialised universities will have to diversify and expand. We may maintain our specialty and focus.”
The Federal Government has also barred private polytechnics from running programmes not approved by the NBTE or affiliating with other institutions for the purposes of the award of the National Diploma and Higher National Diploma certificates.
Before the minister presented the operational licenses to the owners of the new polytechnics, she also warned existing polytechnics against the establishment of satellite campuses and study centres across the country.
The minister said that those who violated the rule would be closed down or risk losing their operational licences.
“We have received reports that some private polytechnics have established satellite campuses or study centres. Some have also entered into affiliation with unapproved institutions to award ND and HND. May I remind you that satellite campuses and study centres were banned by the Federal Government in 2001. Private polytechnics are also not allowed to affiliate with other institutions for purposes of award of the ND or HND.
“Any private polytechnic that engages in such illegal activities risks losing its operational licence. There are also reports of private polytechnics offering programmes that are not approved by the NBTE; it is illegal for any private polytechnic to admit students into any programme that has no approval from NBTE. Act CAP E3 does not empower any approved private polytechnic to make any award without due approval by the NBTE. Any institution that engages in such illegal offering of programmes also risks losing its operational licence.”
Earlier in his welcome address, Kazaure had disclosed that the NBTE was in the process of developing a National Vocational Qualifications Framework that would provide a clear, coherent and comprehensive system of education and training which would be relevant to the needs of public and private organisations and individuals.
Kazaure said that the NVQF would also close the gap between institutional training and industry needs, adding that it would revolutionise the provision of skills in the country.
He disclosed that a national steering committee on the NVQF would be inaugurated by the education minister next week.
The NBTE boss also stated that the establishment of VEIs and IEIs was an innovation that provided a framework for engaging the private sector in the provision of formal TVE training.
“The net effect of this is economic growth through employment generation, support and encouragement of more skills acquisition centres and entrepreneurship outfits. The Federal Ministry of Education has given attention to the establishment of more of these centres all over Nigeria to provide a credible alternative to higher education, widen access to TVET, and provide training in areas that are not in the conventional higher education institution,” he said.
Kazaure added that the National Commission for Polytechnics being proposed by the Federal Ministry of Education to replace the NBTE and regulate the award of bachelors of technology degrees would go a long way in removing the barrier on the career progression of HND holders.
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