ASUP Condemns Conversion of Polytechnics To Varsities

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has criticised the conversion of some Nigerian polytechnics to universities.

Lagos State Polytechnic and Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, were recently converted to universities of technology. Colleges of Education in Lagos State were also converted into Universities of Education.

Speaking on the conversions, the President of ASUP, Anderson Ezeibe, in an interview condemned them, claiming that polytechnics should be empowered, not converted.

“Our position is that it amounts to a clear lack of vision.

“Polytechnics were set up for a purpose different from universities and as captured in the national policy on education.

“The question, therefore, is, whether the purpose for setting up polytechnics has been defeated or is no longer relevant to the national economy.

“If the need for the polytechnics is still there as we believe, the direction of thought should be to empower the polytechnics to meet their mandates rather than playing the ostrich in the name of conversion to universities,” Ezeibe said.

The President also mentioned that the four-week notice of strike given to the Federal Government by the union would lapse on May 4.

“We gave a one-month ultimatum with effect from April 4th. The ultimatum will run out on May 4th and thereafter, our NEC will be convened for a decision.

“The government has to sit up and accord the right priorities to education. It is not just a coincidence that all the unions in the tertiary education sector are agitated at the same time,” Ezeibe warned.

He further cited the demands of the union to include the release of 15 billion naira revitalisation fund to attend to the infrastructural needs of polytechnics, and the payment of debts to the union's workers after the implementation of a new minimum wage.