The chairman stated that for Nigeria to attain technological advancement, adequate attention must be given to polytechnic education in the country.
Diran Odeyemi, the Chairman of the Governing Board of Osun College of Technology, Esa-Oke, has decried the neglect of polytechnic education in the country.
Odeyemi, while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Osogbo, noted that polytechnic education was not receiving the required attention in the country. He said that polytechnics, which are important for the technological advancement in the country, were being converted to universities without minding the consequences.
Odeyemi said for Nigeria to attain technological advancement, adequate attention must be given to polytechnic education in the country. According to him, if polytechnics can get the same attention being given to universities, the country will be better off technologically than where it is today.
“In as much as we continue to pay lip service to polytechnic education, we will continue to move around the circle.
“Any nation that is in a hurry to develop its technology must emphasise polytechnic education.
“See how many universities are coming up daily, yet we are complaining that there is no employment.
“Polytechnic education is important for technological advancement, sadly, it is being neglected by government at all levels,” he said.
Odeyemi lamented that the government was not giving the needed attention and support to the polytechnic education.
“In as much as we continue to pay little service to technology, we will be moving around the same circle.
“No matter how you travel on the wrong root, there is no other solution than you have to turn back.
“We must know when to turn back and give polytechnic education priority for our technological advancement.
“The world is moving away from just acquiring a degree to skill acquisition, which only the polytechnic education can offer.
“We have more than 200 universities in the country without adequate attention to technology advancement that the polytechnic can offer,” he stated.
