The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has ordered the closure
of all satellite campuses of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu
across the state.
This, Fashola said, was in consonance with the
directive of the National Board for Technical Education, the supervisory
agency for all polytechnics and monotechnics in the country.
Fashola said this during the inauguration of the first phase of LASPOTECH College of Technology Complex on Thursday.
The governor was represented by the Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule at the occasion.
He
added that the decision was also aimed at enhancing quality and sound
delivery of technical and vocational education in the state.
But as the announcement was made, most workers including lecturers of the polytechnic protested in hushed tones.
They
told our correspondent that the decision would affect the fortunes of
the institution as a large percentage of the institution’s internally
generated revenue was derived from the banned campuses.
“It is
going to affect all of us. Some of us get extra pay for working at the
satellite campuses, the polytechnic get a large percentage of its IGR
from the programmes while a lot of Nigerians who love higher education
but could not get it through the conventional institutions would also be
denied of the opportunity offer by the campuses,” the anonymous
lecturer said.
He added that what would make it more difficult
for the polytechnic was that the state government would not increase
allocation to the polytechnic.
The LASPOTECH Rector, Dr.
Abdulazeez Lawal, though expressed similar view, he added that the
decision would not affect the college in any negative way.
“It’s a
well thought out decision. But let me say that the policy is not a
state government policy, it is from the NBTE. What the state government
is doing is just to say, we are for quality education delivery. We will
support it. It’s going to bring the creativity in us and we will ensure
that our IGR is not affected negatively as a result of this,” he said.
When
asked whether the state government would increase funding to the
polytechnic as a result of the action, Adebule was non-committal. She
just said the state government had shown enough commitment to the
development of education and it would not stop its efforts to uplift
education at all levels in the state.
Earlier, Adebule had
commended the governing council of the polytechnic led by Prof. Simeon
Ajose for their efforts to reposition the institution.
She explained that the first phase of the complex would serve as lecture rooms for students and offices for members of staff.
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