The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has cautioned that Nigeria’s growing technical skills deficit will persist unless polytechnics are deliberately revitalised, adequately funded, and strategically repositioned as the foundation of national industrial development.
The union made this known at the conclusion of its 18th National Conference, where delegates engaged in what ASUP described as extensive and constructive discussions on national issues, the education sector, and the state of the union.
In a communiqué issued after the conference and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Itoro Ekanemesang, ASUP expressed concern that the continued failure to prioritise technical and vocational education has weakened productivity, increased unemployment, and eroded the country’s capacity to build a competitive workforce.
The union stressed that sustained investment is critical to the future of technical and vocational education, warning that the persistent neglect of polytechnics is directly responsible for Nigeria’s widening skills gap.
ASUP also raised alarm over the country’s lingering insecurity and its increasing impact on educational institutions, describing the situation as a serious threat to learning, research, and staff welfare. Delegates further lamented the rising cost of living, inflation, and economic hardship facing Nigerians, urging the Federal Government to strengthen security through better intelligence coordination while introducing measures to ease economic pressures and reduce poverty.
On funding, the union accused the government of lacking genuine commitment to revitalising the polytechnic sector and demanded the immediate release of approved funds for the second phase of the NEEDS Assessment Intervention. ASUP insisted that the funds must be released transparently and distributed fairly among all eligible institutions, warning that failure to do so would further damage the sector.
Delegates cautioned that continued neglect of staff welfare could aggravate industrial relations within the sub-sector. The union also renewed its long-standing demand for the abolition of the HND/BSc dichotomy, commending the National Assembly for reintroducing the bill and urging President Bola Tinubu to assent to it when passed. ASUP noted that ending the dichotomy would promote equity, enhance national unity, and modernise Nigeria’s workforce.
Addressing industrial harmony, the union expressed dissatisfaction over delays in concluding the renegotiation of the ASUP–FGN 2010 Agreement, noting that much-needed reforms in policy, supervision, funding, and staff welfare remain overdue.
Delegates also criticised administrative challenges caused by the delayed reconstitution of Governing Councils, which has stalled the appointment of principal officers in several institutions. While acknowledging recent efforts to address the issue, ASUP warned that such delays undermine effective governance and institutional stability.
The conference further condemned the prolonged delay in releasing the revised Scheme of Service, stating that it has dampened staff morale and hindered institutional development. ASUP also rejected moves to outsource quality assurance functions of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to private firms, describing the proposal as a threat to the credibility and autonomy of polytechnics.
The union maintained that quality assurance should remain the responsibility of a public institution rather than a profit-driven entity. It also criticised the indiscriminate conversion of polytechnics into universities, warning that the practice weakens technical education and undermines skills development.
ASUP concluded by reiterating its call for the adoption of a dual-mandate system that would allow polytechnics to award degree programmes while retaining their core focus on technological and technical education.
