The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has expressed its support for the bill currently before the National Assembly to establish a National Polytechnics Commission.

Shammah Kpanja, president of ASUP, confirmed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

The bill, which is sponsored by Idu Igariwey, is awaiting its final reading and passage at the House of Representatives.

Mr Kpanja noted that the bill had received full support from stakeholders during a public hearing in August 2024.

“This effort is coming after several failed legislative efforts in the past on the same subject,” Kpanja.

He noted that the bill also had the backing of the federal ministry of education.

According to him, the establishment of the commission is clearly outlined in the approved Road Map for the Education sector covering 2024 to 2027.

Mr Kpanja expressed surprise at the proposal to establish a commission for technical education, viewing it as a mere change of name without the desired impact on the regulation of polytechnics in Nigeria.

He described it as self-serving and a distraction that could undermine the efforts of the House of Representatives.

The ASUP president emphasised that Nigerian Polytechnics and Monotechnics are tertiary education institutions under the regulation of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

He said that the union had been advocating for a separate commission to regulate these institutions.

“Our union has been making demands for the establishment of a separate Commission to regulate the tertiary education institutions found in the current mix of over 700 institutions under the NBTE,” he said.

He said this would ensure improved regulation and align with the practice in other tertiary education sub-sectors.

(NAN)