FG Releases List Of Top 10 Nigerian Polytechnics

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has ranked Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Imo as the best polytechnic in Nigeria.

Dr Masa’udu Kazaure, Executive Secretary of the Board made the announcement in Kaduna on Thursday, after the conclusion of its Second Regular Meeting chaired by Prof. Modupe Adelabu.

According to Kazaure, the polytechnic made the list as the best after scoring 85.08 percent in the assessment of 112 federal, state and private polytechnics in the country, within the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 academic sessions.

The Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun followed at second position with 73.08 per cent, while Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna State came third with 72.31 per cent.

Other polytechnics in the top 10 included The Polytechnic Ibadan, Oyo State, ranked fourth with 67.69 per cent; Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Niger, fifth, with 65.38 per cent; and Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo, sixth, with 63.85 points.

The Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu, Enugu State, came seventh, with 62.31 per cent, while Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara, came eighth, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Ondo State came ninth and Yaba College of Technology, Yaba, Lagos State was ranked tenth with 60.77 per cent.

Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra was ranked 11th with 60.00 per cent and Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi, occupied the 12th position with 59.23 per cent.

The NBTE boss also said that when dis-aggregated by ownership, the Federal Polytechnic Nekede also emerged the best Federal Polytechnic in the country followed by Federal Polytechnic Ilaro and Kaduna Polytechnic.

Among state polytechnics the Polytechnic Ibadan, IMT and Rufus Giwa polytechnics were the highest ranked, while Lagos City Polytechnic was the highest ranked private polytechnic and the 16th in the country with Dorben Polytechnic and Heritage Polytechnic as the second and third best private polytechnic.

“Other criteria include proportion of academic staff showing the right mix, that is, chief lecturer and principal lecturer down to assistant lecturer; and the ability of the institution to introduce the programme in new and emerging fields.

“They were equally assessed based on capacity building of staff both within and outside Nigeria, teaching quality, including staff /student ratio and the ratio of full-time to part-time staff.

“Other areas are the availability of current Campus Master Plan, Strategic Plan, and Academic Brief; percentage of academic staff with relevant higher qualification and professional registration; and 70:30 technology-non-technology enrolment ratio.

“Another consideration was the incorporation of entrepreneurship education into the institute’s curriculum and fully established Entrepreneurship Development Centre.” Kazaure stated

He further explained that“Four proposed private polytechnics were also visited for approval and licensing within the period under review and only one was recommended while three were asked to remedy some identified deficiencies.

“The governing board also approved a memorandum of understanding with Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria to reduce the burden of duplication of quality assurance visitation and accreditation activities.

“The board also agreed to hold meetings with relevant stakeholders to put an end to the proliferation of illegal technical institutions and unapproved private health institutions operating in the county.

“The board particularly commended the effort of the Kaduna State Commissioner for Health, Dr Paul Dogo for expressing concern to the board on illegal health institutions operating in the state.”

The board, however, faulted the decision of some state government to convert colleges of agriculture to polytechnics and has decided to take necessary actions to put a stop to the development.