The House of Representatives has advised Rectors of Federal Polytechnics to be innovative by introducing courses and programs that will help utilize all potentials in their catchment areas.
The advice was given by the Chairman of the Committee on Polytechnics and other Higher Technical Education Mr. Fuad Kayode Laguda at an oversight session with Rectors and some management staff of the Federal Polytechnic Kauran-Namoda, Zamfara State; Federal Polytechnic Bauchi; Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo, Gombe State and Federal Polytechnic Bali, Taraba State in Abuja.
He said that the institutions needed to introduce courses in Geology, Mining and other related courses in order to help educate youths and rescue them from becoming bandits or their agents.
Speaking after a submission by the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Kauran-Namoda Zamfara State, the chairman noted that the heads of institutions need to explore their environments and choose courses best suited to them.
“Like we discussed earlier, we were talking about why don’t you have courses in mining in your place. Because if you have courses in mining, some of these gold and things that they find in the soil there, they’ll be coming to do the test in your school, which is also a source of IGR for you. So things shouldn’t be right under your nose and you skip it like it’s impossible. It is the happenings of today that you would apply. And that is part of what they call innovation. So please look into this” Mr. Laguda said.
The Chairman noted that bringing such courses would address the decline in students population as a result of the insecurity in Zamfara State.
“We will be glad to hear that our students are not reducing, they have started increasing. And all this can be done by the standard that you keep, or that you give to the students. If we are producing A-list students, and by the time we start working with places and they are giving good results, you will be surprised the multiplier effect that will bring to you” he said.
After his presentation, the Rector, Mr. Jonathan Murdi, was directed to present among other things, evidence of insurance payment, increase in personnel cost in 2024 despite shortfall of fifty personnel.
Presentation of school outlines
In his presentation, the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Dr Sani Usman informed the Committee that the institution established in 1976 has 2,112 academic and non-academic staff, six schools and running 36 academic programmes with 11,000 students.
After presenting the budget performance of the school from 2021, the Rector and his management were directed to bring more detailed documents in seven working days.
Also in his presentation, the Rector, Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo, Gombe State, Dr Sulaiman Lame informed the House that the institution was established in 2019 and recruitment for key staff was done in 2020.
He further disclosed that the institution had 500 academic/non academic staff in 2021 with 65% academic staff and 35% non-academic staff.
According to him, the school was given a temporary site by the state government but development started immediately on the permanent site.
Dr Lame said they have four schools which include; School of Engineering, School of Science, School of Management Studies and School of General Studies running eleven programs with 300 students.
The Rector informed the committee that they have built two hostels male and female with 200 and 350 capacities respectively.
He informed the Committee that they have a plan for more academic courses to maximize the use of their staff.
After his presentation, the Committee directed that he should provide details of the school’s nominal role, procurement process and re-appear in seven working days.
In the same vein, the Rectors of the Federal Polytechnic Bali, Taraba State, Dr Mohammed Usman; and his team also made presentations before the Committee.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Fuad Kayode Laguda explained that, holding the oversight function interaction at the National Assembly was necessitated by the issue of insecurity and other factors.
Emmanuel Ukoh
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