Education
GOVERNORS CONVERT 20 POLY, COEs TO UNIVERSITIES, ASUP DISAGREES
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics alongside other academic unions like ASUU have kicked against the recent conversion of Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to universities. ASUP and education reform activists tagged the move as a plan to “bury” the essence of technical education in the country.
No fewer than 20 polytechnics and colleges of education have been converted to universities primarily by state governors, the Senate and the Federal Government, according to Sunday PUNCH analysis.
However, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and education reform activists tagged the move as a plan to “bury” the essence of technical education in the country.Recently, governors and members of the National Assembly came under fire over what was tagged as the unlawful proliferation of universities in the country.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities in a statement warned against the establishment of new universities due to the paucity of funds for the sustainability of the established institutions.
Experts argued that the trend of upgrading polytechnics and colleges of education to universities was becoming worrisome considering the function the two cadres play in producing middle-level manpower.
Polytechnic education provides technical and vocational training, technology transfer and skills development to enhance the socio-economic development of the country, while colleges of education are tasked with producing professionally trained teachers for vocational and technical secondary schools to meet the nation’s requirements for technological take-off as provided in the National Policy on Education.Recently, the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, announced the upgrade of the state-owned Emmanuel Alayande College of Education to a university of education.
Earlier, the immediate past governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, announced the conversion of the Osun State College of Education, Ilesha, to the University of Ilesha.Similarly, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, announced the conversion of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and the Michael Otedola College of Education to the Lagos State University of Education.
The governor also announced the upgrade of the Lagos State Polytechnic to the Lagos State University of Science and Technology.In March this year, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, received approval from the National Universities Commission to upgrade the state-owned Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, to a university. The Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, in 2021, announced the conversion of the College of Education, Agbor, to the Delta State University of Education, and the Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, to the Delta State University of Science and Technology. Some of the other affected polytechnics and colleges of education are the Abia State Polytechnic; Abia State College of Education; Abia State College of Health Sciences and Management Studies; Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro; Federal Polytechnic, Ofa; Yaba College of Technology; and the Kaduna State Polytechnic, among others.
Though the Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof Abubakar Rasheed, noted that the reason for the upgrade of the institutions to universities was to increase access to university education for citizens, the National President of ASUP, Dr Anderson Ezeibe, described it as a frivolous upgrade and a “manifestation of lack of consistency in pursuit of vision by proprietors of public polytechnics in the country.”
Though the Executive Secretary, NUC, Prof Abubakar Rasheed, noted that the reason for the upgrade of the institutions to universities was to increase access to university education for citizens, the National President of ASUP, Dr Anderson Ezeibe, described it as a frivolous upgrade and a “manifestation of lack of consistency in pursuit of vision by proprietors of public polytechnics in the country.”
Polytechnics were established to produce professionals in technical/technological and vocational education, which should address national manpower needs in such a direction. This is why the practical component in the curricula for polytechnics is higher as they are expected to produce people with hands-on expertise.
This is not the same with universities.
“The question for those who are on this voyage of conversion like the Lagos State Government is whether the need for such manpower has been satisfied. The principal reason for the poorly thought out conversion is just because the enrolment figures are dropping across polytechnics due to the discrimination against the polytechnics and their products as well as the rustic and anachronistic policies of the government on degree-awarding status for the polytechnics.”
The ASUP president raised the alarm that the future of that level of tertiary education was at risk.
He added:
“That’s the reason why our union is crying out as the future of the polytechnics is at stake. Our proposal of allowing polytechnics to attain degree-awarding status will resolve all these issues: satisfy the quest for degree-level certification, deepen technical/technological education through curricula enhancement, retain the expanding pool of qualified manpower in the polytechnics, attract funding and stop the HND/degree dichotomy.
“We are saying that polytechnics should retain the OND certification as middle-level manpower and use the same as feed for a bachelor of technology certification to be awarded by polytechnics in their names as polytechnics if requirements to be set out for this are met.” An education reform activist, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, lamented that the nation’s leaders did not understand the philosophy behind the institutions.
“We are saying that polytechnics should retain the OND certification as middle-level manpower and use the same as feed for a bachelor of technology certification to be awarded by polytechnics in their names as polytechnics if requirements to be set out for this are met.
” An education reform activist, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, lamented that the nation’s leaders did not understand the philosophy behind the institutions.
“The philosophy of polytechnics is to produce practical-oriented graduates who will go to the workplace and hit the ground running, while colleges of education focus on training teachers, but we have a country that doesn’t appreciate that philosophy. China in 2018 converted over 600 universities to polytechnics,” he said.
Education
1ST NIGERIAN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS CONFERENCE ON UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS) ESSAY COMPETITION
Competition Overview:
The SDG Youth Essay Competition offers a grand prize of N1 million for the top three winners, along with free sponsorship to attend the 1st Nigeria Tertiary Institution Conference on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in April 2024 in Abuja.
Competition Requirements:
1. Eligibility:
– Open exclusively to undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
2. Entry Guidelines:
– Topic:The Role of Students in Attainment of SDG4
– length: Essays should be 1500 words.
– Entry Period: Thursday, February 1, 2024 – Thursday, February 29, 2024
– Referencing: APA Style (6th Edition).
– Font: Times New Roman, 12-point font size.
– Documentation: Typed in 1.5 line spacing, MS Word format only.
– Plagiarism: Only original content is accepted; plagiarized entries will be disqualified.
Benefits:
– Prizes:
– 1st Prize: N500,000
– 2nd Prize: N300,000
– 3rd Prize: N200,000
– Winners will also receive free sponsorship to attend the 1st Nigeria Tertiary Institution Conference on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in April 2024 in Abuja.
Required Documents:
– Student’s Institution ID Card
– Copy of Student’s Admission Letter
– One recent passport-size photograph
– WhatsApp telephone number and email address
Application Procedure:
– All entries and submissions (essay and required documents) should be scanned and sent to nigeriaessay@sdgyouth.org before the deadline.
For Further Inquiries:
– Call: 08068931151, 08133846739, 07067772964
– Email: nigeriaessay@sdgyouth.org
Deadline: February 29th, 2024
Don’t miss this opportunity to contribute to achieving SDG4 and win exciting prizes. Submit your entry and required documents before the deadline. For any inquiries, feel free to contact them via phone or email.
Competition Overview:
The National Essay Competition invites undergraduate law students to showcase their expertise and contribute to the discourse on AI, privacy, and data protection. In addition to cash prizes, participants have the chance to intern with Pentagon Partners, gaining valuable hands-on experience.
Competition Requirements:
1. Eligibility:
– The competition is open to 400-level and 500-level undergraduate law students in Nigerian universities.
2. Essay Requirements:
– Length: Essays should not exceed 1500 words.
– Format: Double spaced, 12pt Times New Roman font.
– References: OSCOLA format for citations with 10pt font size for footnotes and endnotes.
– Submission Format: Essays must be submitted in PDF format.
– Entrant Details: Include full names, school, level, phone number, and email address in both the body of the email and on the last page of the essay.
– Single Entry: Each entrant is allowed only one submission.
– Originality: Plagiarism will result in automatic disqualification.
Competition Benefits and Timeline:
1. Prizes:
– Winner: N200,000
– 1st Runner Up: N150,000
– 2nd Runner Up: N100,000
2. Internship Opportunity:
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Application Procedure:
– Interested participants should submit their essays to essay@pentagonpartnerslp.com during the submission period.
– The subject of the email should be the Essay topic
For additional information and updates, visit www.pentagonpartnerslp.com.
Deadline: March 22nd, 2024
Don’t miss this chance to showcase your legal expertise, contribute to important discussions on AI and law, and vie for enticing cash prizes. Pentagon Partners looks forward to receiving your submissions.
Purpose:
Inaugurated in 2020, the CDEC is part of SystemSpecs’ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitment to promoting capacity development in the Nigerian ICT industry. By encouraging young Nigerians to tackle everyday issues, the competition contributes to intellectual growth and societal progress.
Topic:
The theme for the 2024 competition is “Protecting the Nigerian Child from the Dangers of Online Technology.” Participants are tasked with exploring strategies to safeguard children in an increasingly digital world.
Eligibility:
– Open to primary and secondary school students in Nigeria aged 9 to 16.
– Junior category (ages 9 to 12) essays must not exceed 1,000 words.
– Senior category (ages 13 to 16) essays must not exceed 1,500 words.
Prizes:
– Winners will receive generous rewards, including a high-capacity laptop, premium headphones, a portable laptop stand, a smart wristwatch, and one year of internet data, among other items.
– Consolation prizes will be awarded to other participants.
Application Process:
– Interested candidates should access the application page
– Essays must be written in English and reflect original thought.
– Each participant is limited to one entry.
– Entries must be endorsed by an accredited school official, parent, or legal guardian.
– Deadline for submissions is April 12, 2024.
Submission Guidelines:
– All submissions must be in PDF format and include the student’s name, home and school addresses, email address, and contact phone number.
– Double entries will result in automatic disqualification.
– Submissions must be received by March 15, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
Notification of Winners:
– Successful students and schools will be contacted in the second quarter of the year.
– Updates on winners will be announced on @nercng social media platforms.
The SystemSpecs Children’s Day Essay Competition offers a unique opportunity for Nigerian students to demonstrate their creativity and problem-solving skills. By addressing the theme of online child protection, participants contribute to building a safer and more secure digital environment for all. We encourage eligible students to seize this opportunity and showcase their talent and ingenuity.
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