The National President of the Association of Private Polytechnic Founders/Rectors in Nigeria, Pastor Bassey James, has said that illegal school operators across the country would soon run out of business.
He stated this in Uyo while briefing newsmen as part of the activities marking the maiden matriculation of Southern Atlantic Polytechnic, scheduled for Saturday, June 26, 2021.
James mentioned that a total of 300 students would partake in the maiden matriculation ceremony of the Southern Atlantic Polytechnic, even as admissions were still ongoing in the institution.
According to him, the association had written to both the national and state assemblies to inform them of the ugly incident even as he had met with some of the perpetrators of the illegal business and had given them a timeline to close shop.
He said that considering the way the association was moving, in the next one year, illegal polytechnics would be eradicated from the country to forestall further production of substandard graduates from tertiary institutions.
However, he called on the Ministry of Education to lend a voice to the campaign against the menace.
He said: “This must stop because it waters down the quality of education and everything about our people. It is very annoying that you spend up to N1 Billion to build an institution and you see someone that will stay in his bedroom to say he is running a polytechnic too.
“Some even run theirs under the tree and you see people attend those schools. Some people are studying computer science without seeing a computer set in the school, and other courses such as engineering without any facility. At the end of the year, he will be issued a certificate.
“This is a crime against humanity, against quality education and something has to be done.”
He expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for the harmonisation of the Higher National Diploma and university Bachelors qualifications, saying that the old disparity was disheartening considering the practical experience polytechnic graduates garnered in school and during the mandatory internship.
