The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has warned that the country’s worsening technical skills gap will persist unless polytechnics are deliberately revitalised, properly funded and repositioned as the backbone of national industrial development.

The union stated this at the end of its 18th National Conference where delegates members undertook what ASUP described as “extensive and constructive deliberations on the state of the nation, the state of the sector and the state of the union.”

In a communique issued at the end of its 18th National Conference and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Itoro Ekanemesang, the union lamented that the country’s inability to prioritise technical and vocational education has continued to weaken productivity, deepen unemployment and undermine Nigeria’s capacity to build a competitive workforce.

Noting that the future of technical and vocational learning depends on sustained investment, ASUP warned that neglecting polytechnic education is directly linked to the country’s skills deficit.

Furthermore, the union expressed deep concerns over persistent insecurity across the country and its growing impact on the safety of educational institutions, describing the situation as a threat to learning, research and staff welfare.

Delegates also decried the escalating cost of living, inflation and economic hardship facing Nigerians, urging the Federal Government to strengthen security through improved intelligence coordination, while introducing relief measures to cushion the harsh economic conditions and reduce the country’s high poverty level.

On funding, the union accused the government of failing to demonstrate a genuine commitment to revitalising polytechnics, demanding the immediate release of approved funds for the second phase of the NEEDS Assessment Intervention.

ASUP insisted that the funds must be disbursed transparently and equitably to all eligible institutions, insisting that anything short of this would further cripple the sector.

Delegates warned that continued neglect of staff welfare would further worsen industrial relations in the sub-sector.

ASUP equally renewed its long-standing call for an end to the HND/BSc dichotomy, commending the National Assembly for reintroducing the bill to abolish what it described as a discriminatory policy.

The union appealed to President Bola Tinubu to assent to the bill when passed, stressing that ending the dichotomy would promote fairness, strengthen national unity and modernise Nigeria’s workforce.

On industrial harmony, the union expressed frustration over the delay in concluding the renegotiation of the ASUP/FGN 2010 Agreement, noting that reforms in policy frameworks, supervision, funding and staff welfare are long overdue.

Delegates also criticised administrative lapses arising from the delayed reconstitution of Governing Councils, which stalled the appointment of principal officers in several institutions.

While acknowledging recent efforts to resolve the issue, ASUP cautioned that such delays undermine institutional governance and stability.

The conference also condemned what it described as the unacceptable delay in releasing the revised Scheme of Service, noting that the situation has weakened staff morale and impeded institutional growth.

The union also rejected attempts to outsource quality assurance functions of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to private vendors, describing the move as a direct threat to the credibility and autonomy of polytechnics.

It maintained that quality assurance must remain a core responsibility of a public institution, and not a profit-driven enterprise.

It also faulted the indiscriminate conversion of polytechnics to universities, warning that the trend distorts Nigeria’s technical education framework and weakens skills development.

ASUP renewed its demand for the implementation of a dual-mandate structure that allows polytechnics to run degree programmes without abandoning their technological education mandate. (The Guardian)