The House of Representatives Committee on Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education counselled the management of the Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger State to maintain standards despite the challenges of competition from other institutions in the country.
The Committee gave the counsel when the Management of the Institution led by its Rector, Dr Baba Aliyu Haruna, appeared before the Committee on budget performance presentation.
The Committee expressed concerns over a fall in the institution’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) which was below projections.
While responding to the observations of the Committee, the Rector explained that the Institution was facing stiff competition from various existing and new institutions along with it
leading to the reduction in admission intakes.
According to him “Like I said earlier, the population of the school is decreasing. The school is over 39 years old and many schools are springing up around Bidda, so they are offering courses that in the past you have to come to Bidda.
“Sister institutions around Bidda are now being accredited. I can give you an example, since I came to that school and I became a lecturer, it’s only about two or three Polytechnics that are offering Chemical Engineering in the whole of northern Nigeria, but now we have more than twelve.
“Nasarawa which is our closest neighbour, I was lecturing in Nasarawa for years, now they have their HND. So, people have even as early as 10, 15 years ago as far as Lagos State Polytechnic people were coming to Bida to study Chemical Engineering. Very good students and we have a mini Nigeria in Bida.
“But now, every school is striving to get accreditation and they are getting it. The second reason is that, even universities are springing near Bida now…Before then, they all came to Bida. Now you have HND, I mean you have a degree in Minna, you have many programmes in Lapai. Before now, Lapai was not there”.
The Rector however said that, despite the challenges, the management was working to improve by introducing courses that being sought after and improve more on existing ones.
According to him, “We are trying to make up and bring up other courses that are not in Bidda. We have just gotten about Eight new programme resource inspections. Two or three weeks ago, we got 29 programmes accredited. We are also trying to catch up.
However a member of the Committee , Hon. Inyang stated while trying to improve their intake and shore up IGR, they should stick to maintaining standards.
According to him, “For me, all the excuses you have given are positive excuses. They are not negative. But, the lesser the number of students per class, the better for the standards. Because, you are 20,000 before. I am sure some were standing to receive lectures. So, with the drop you have in population, so long as it is these reasons you are saying, you should concentrate on standards. The standards will make people realize that, this is where to go”.
After the presentation, Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Dalladi Suleiman told the Rector and the other management staff to tidy up and update some of their records.
The Committee unanimously directed that the Overhead and other details in Capital should be updated because they have observed some discrepancies and some funds spent Extra-Budgetary which the Federal Polytechnic Bida Rector said they have gotten approval from the Ministry of Education to spend.
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