Bill to Raise Qualification for Polytechnic Rectors Scale Second Reading
…Bill also seeks to End HND, BSc Dichotomy
The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Federal Polytechnics Act.
The bill is sponsored by the Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, and Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, Fuad Laguda.
The bill also seeks to increase the qualification for appointment of Rectors of Polytechnics and empower them to award Bachelor of Technology, instead of Higher National Diploma.
The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill seeking to amend the Federal Polytechnics Act, Laws of 2004, to empower polytechnics to award Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) Honours degrees.
Leading the debate on the bill at plenary on Tuesday, its sponsor, Hon. Faud Laguda, said the proposed amendment aims to expand the scope and functions of federal polytechnics in line with global best practices.
He explained that the bill also seeks to review the membership of polytechnic governing councils by including representatives from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).
According to Laguda, Clause 2 of the bill amends Section 3 of the Principal Act to ensure that NBTE and MAN representatives are included in every polytechnic council.
He added that Clause 3 proposes an amendment to Section 8, raising the qualifications required for the appointment of Rectors of federal polytechnics.
“Clause 4 seeks to amend Section 15 of the Principal Act to expand the powers of the Academic Board to award Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) Honours degrees,” he said.
The lawmaker stressed that the amendment aims to strengthen technical education and ensure parity between polytechnic and university graduates in Nigeria.
The bill was referred to the relevant committee for further legislative action.