Bill to amend Polytechnic Act scales second reading

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed through the second reading a bill seeking the amendment of the Federal Polytechnic Act.

Sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Lagos lawmaker, Fuad Laguda, the bill seeks to amend the Federal Polytechnics Act, Cap 17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, to expand the roles and responsibilities of polytechnics in the country.

Laguda, while leading the debate on the general principles of the bill during Tuesday’s plenary session, said the amendment of the Principal Act had become necessary given the expanding scope and role of polytechnic education in the country.
He said, “The Principal Act, Federal Polytechnics Act Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, is an Act of the National Assembly 2014 seeking to establish polytechnics in various parts of the country to provide full-time courses in technology, applied science, management, and other fields of study and to make provisions for the general administration of such polytechnics.

“To drive efficiency and advancement of polytechnic education in Nigeria, the Act was amended in 2019 to increase the retirement age of staff of polytechnics and harmonise the tenure of office of the Rectors and other Principal Officers of Polytechnics in Nigeria.

“Dear honourable colleagues, the bill before you seeks to further amend the Principal Act to meet the demands of the ever-changing world while adhering to international best practices.

“The bill seeks to review and enlarge the membership of the Council with the inclusion of representatives of technical institutional bodies like the National Board for Technical Education and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, and enlarge the scope of functions of federal polytechnics in Nigeria with a clearer and result-oriented administrative structure.”

The Lagos lawmaker also urged his colleagues to support the proposed legislation, stressing that the overall objective is to improve the provision of technical education to Nigerian students through a better-organised polytechnic system in Nigeria.

After the lead debate, Abbas, who presided over the plenary, referred the proposed law to the Committee on Polytechnic and Higher Technical Education for further legislative action.