The National Board for Technical Education NBTE has called for collaborations with Higher Institutions on the conduct of innovative research that would meet the needs of the society.
The Executive Secretary of NBTE, Prof. Idris Bugaje, made the call in Abuja during an interactive meeting with Rectors and Directors of Research of Polytechnics on National Research Fund, grants organised by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
Bugaje noted that the magnitude of research conducted was not yielding desired results due to the neglect of the roles played by polytechnics.
The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, tasked polytechnics across the country to embark on quality research proposals that would translate into commercial and innovative use.
“No research would be of benefit to a country like Nigeria. If we are not translating that and applying the products of such research to affect our daily lives; if we are not transferring that knowledge, that creative spark, into the production of goods and services that could create employment for our people, that would improve our standard of living and that would grow our economy, and activate all segments of our economy.”
The TETFund Executive Secretary stressed the compelling need for skilled manpower in the country, stating that Nigeria is producing graduates in under developed economy without the provision of adequate jobs.
He also lamented the huge shortage of skills in critical sectors of the nation’s economy, stating that It means we are not producing graduates that are fit for purpose, that meet the needs of the industry, that are ready to take up responsibility and contribute their quota upon engagement.
“We are having situations where foreign concerns, foreign companies, foreign businesses are relocating to our country under the guise of not having the right manpower to carry out their operations.
“We are having a situation where side-by-side there is very high graduate unemployment. It’s a huge shortage of skills in critical sectors of our national economy.”
Echono challenged the NRF to have a rethink on the allocation of specific amounts to research.
“It means we are not producing graduates that are fit for purpose, that meet the needs of the industry, that are ready to take up responsibility and contribute their quota upon engagement. The other aspect is that we continue to produce manpower that the current structure of our economy can no longer absorb,” he added.
PIAK
