NATE explains reasons for falling interest in polytechnic education

The Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering (NATE) has explained the reason behind the poor interest of younger students in polytechnic education and technical. courses.

While giving the reasons for the drop, the National President of NATE, Dominic Udoatan, attributed it to failure to break the dichotomy between Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelor of Science (Bsc) holders.

He was worried that the world is recognising technologists and appreciating their work and contributions to the global transformation, while Nigeria is doing otherwise, seeing and doing things related to technologists differently.

He referred to the bill that has been passed by both chambers of the 9th National Assembly, which is still waiting for the assent of the president.

He said, “It’s pertinent to note that there would not have been any need for this long agitation if efforts of previous administrations, including that of the Minister of Education who is vested with the power of Certificate Evaluation as a matter of policy by Education Act, were allowed to scale through successfully.

“Unfortunately, efforts to abolish this ugly monster called HND and BSC dichotomy in Nigeria have always been thwarted by enemies of technological advancement in Nigeria, who want the country to go down at all costs.

“These are self-centred persons with ill motives. They stay at a corner and constantly devise means of frustrating the polytechnic education, technological breakthrough/development, and the technologists in Nigeria.”

He added, “Technology drives the economy of the world and frontrunners in such technological breakthroughs are technologists who are given equal opportunities with their engineering counterparts to showcase their talents. But the reverse is the case in Nigeria.

“The discrimination against HND holders particularly in engineering has dampened and demoralised the morale of technologists, thereby resulting in low productivity.”