Converting Polytechnics To University Is Degrading – Says NBTE

The executive secretary of the National Board For Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje, has opposed the Federal government’s plan on converting some Polytechnics to Universities.

 

He disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday, 1st March at the retreat for chairmen of governing councils and principal officers of all federal polytechnics of Nigeria

The retreat was organized by the NBTE in conjunction with the Committee of Federal Polytechnic Rectors.

 

He stated: “The universities are swallowing the polytechnics. Polytechnics and universities are parallel, we are not feeders. The college of education (COE) feeds the university system.

“If you convert a COE to university, you are upgrading it, but if you convert a polytechnic to university, you are degrading it and this will not help the economy.

 

‘’We must stop this crave of converting polytechnics to universities. So, I advocate a reverse of conversation of universities that are not doing well to polytechnics.’’