The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has asked the Federal Government to increase the budget allocation for education in the 2024 appropriation bill currently before the National Assembly.
Mr. Anderson Ezeibe, the ASUP President, expressed this appeal during a press conference preceding the union’s 17th biennial national delegates conference in Abuja.
He criticized the current 7.9% earmarked for education in the existing budget and highlighted that the proposed bill allocates 7.9% for the education sector.
- He stated, “This implies that the country is further away from a solution to the underfunding in the sector. An upward review is imperative to reflect the actual needs of the sector. This will ensure the total withdrawal of the 2021 circular requesting institutions to make remittances of their internally generated funds.”
- “Also, it will ensure the immediate implementation of the approved new wage structure of 35% and 25% for chief lecturers and other categories of staff in the sector with the arrears,”
Problems of Nigerian polytechnics
He also mentioned that the country’s polytechnics were on the brink of extinction, with declining interest from young people due to government-led discrediting of the institution.
He highlighted the ongoing disparity between the value of higher national diplomas (HND) offered by polytechnics and bachelor’s degrees offered by universities.
The ASUP president expressed concern about the confusion within the polytechnic system, with many operating without complete governance structures since June 2023. He further pointed out the appointment of unqualified and incompetent individuals to lead some institutions.
- He said, “Some of these polytechnics are actually in a confused state as processes for the appointment of principal officers have been disrupted. Staff appraisal processes cannot be concluded; staff disciplinary processes cannot be concluded, and other statutory duties of the governing councils cannot be executed.
- “We also have the continued retention of persons described as unfit and unqualified to be appointed rectors in five new federal polytechnics in Monguno, Shendam, Wannune, Ugep and Ohodo. This can only be interpreted from the perspective of the government deliberately undermining proper administration of the affected polytechnics,”
What you should know
In the 2024 appropriation bill before the National Assembly, the federal government earmarked N2.18 trillion for the education sector.
This represents 7.9% of the total N27.5 trillion budget proposal for 2024. This figure falls short of the UNESCO recommendation of between 15% and 20% of the expenditure of developing countries to be spent on education.
President Bola Tinubu had promised to reform the tertiary education sector by introducing a sustainable funding model for the sector.