By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo.
The Chairman of Academy Staff Union of Polytechnic, Osun State Polytechnic Iree chapter, Dr. Adeyosoye Adegbite has disclosed that the focus on technological education in Nigeria is not well understood by the people at helm of affairs the country’s government .
According to Adegbite, there is different between technical education and technological education that is the reason why ASUP has been on the call for government to see the need in creating Nigeria polytechnic Commission to distinguish the two.
The Union leader stated this while fielding questions from journalists yesterday in Iree, he said the environment has been an obstacle to polytechnic graduates to utilize the knowledge that has been impacted in them.
He maintained that the state owned polytechnic has contributed immensely to development of the state and Nigeria at large through its well trained students since the establishment of the school.
He commended the state government for having state technical education, urging government to do more in providing basic needs for technology education.
Adegbete said, “The technological education as a whole in Nigeria is relegated because the focus on technological is not understood by people in place of authority. There is what we call technological education and technical education which is quite different.”
“At Union level ( ASUP) we argue and we even have a bill currently at the National Assembly asking for Nigeria Polytechnic Commission. The University has Nigeria University Commission even Colleges of Education Commission but its only technological education that is merged with technical education.
“The technical education talks about repair but the technological education is about innovation developing technology and that in Nigeria has not been understood. The technological education need to be focus in Nigeria to have a great country.
He , however, lamented the poor percentage Nigeria government budgeted on education, saying the country focus more on getting immediate money without investing in future. Nigeria budget on education is 6 percent which is the social responsibility of the government and WHO recommended 25 to 30 percent to dedicated on education.
