The Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Tertiary Education and Services, Alhaji Aminu Suleiman, has called on the government to invest more fund into tertiary institutions in the country, to enable them to effectively carry out their responsibilities.
Suleiman, in separate meetings with journalists, at the University of Ilorin and the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State recently, said there was ample evidence of ineptitude in many tertiary institutions across the country.
Decrying the abuse of federal character in the recruitment of employees and discrimination against HND holders in preference to first degree holders, he said the National Assembly was working seriously to pass a bill abolishing such a dichotomy.
Suleiman, however, commended Unilorin for its stable academic calendar, saying it was imperative to have harmonious industrial relations and peace in tertiary institutions.
Also, the Rector of OffaPoly, Dr. Lateef Olatunji, stated that there had been considerable reduction in fiscal allocation to states and subventions to government parastatals as a result of the economic recession and the fall in prices of crude oil in the world market.
In another development, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, warned authorities of polytechnics in the country not to flout the 70:30 enrolment ratio in favour of technology-based programmes over management-oriented ones.
He also warned them against admitting students more than their carrying capacities. He reminded the polytechnic authorities that the policies were still in force, adding that government would not be pleased with any institution that flouted the policies.
Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
