Polytechnic lecturers on Thursday approached the President Muhammadu Buhari-drove organization to make changes that will improve the nature of specialized labor in the nation.
The Polytechnic lecturers asserted that foundations had endured proceeded with disregard.
Mr. Anderson Ezeibe, National President, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), while instructions columnists at ASUP’s 98th NEC meeting in Jos, lamented the “utter disregard” of the specialized and professional training sub-area.
The sub-area is packed with subtleties of disregard as far as administration measures, subsidizing, the arrangement course of the public authority, and prosperity of individuals from staff.
Public Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria have continued to reel in heavy funding deficit and total neglect.
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“The needs assessment report of 2014 as it affects the funding deficit in the sector is yet to be implemented and the rot in the sector continues to deepen.
“Capital appropriations from the nation’s budget over the years have been grossly inadequate, coming in trickles, while in the states, institutions are only surviving on the benevolence of interventionist agencies, particularly TETFund,” he said.
Ezeibe also pointed out that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic had further exposed the vulnerable nature of Polytechnics as none of the institutions could cope with the basic safe resumption requirements like adequate security, appropriate sanitation, hygiene, as well as proper medical provision.
We don’t have any quarantine or isolation centers in the event that when school resumes students can isolate in them, in case of any infection.
“There is nothing on ground to show that our campuses are safe for academic activities to resume,” he maintained.
The union called on the government to provide adequate security on campuses for members and students and also resume the re-negotiation of the union’s agreement with the government.
Other demands included the commencement of implementation of the needs assessment report for Polytechnics.
The union also called for the recall of dismissed colleagues in the Institute of Management Technology, Enugu, Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.
Ezeibe pleaded for the implementation of the new minimum wage in states yet to do so, declaring that the gesture would boost morale and shore up productivity.
