ASUP raises alarm over imminent closure of Kano Polytechnic by NBTE

By Muhammed Yakubu On Jun 2, 2023

Kano Polytechnic, Abubakar Umar Farouk, Abba Kabir Yusuf, ICAN, Habib Ayuba — Kano State Polytechnic

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic has raised alarm over the imminent closure of Kano State Polytechnic by National Board For Technical Education (NBTE) due to violation of the laws that established the Institution

SOLACEBASE reports that ASUP, Kano Polytechnic chapter in a congratulatory message to the new governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr Muntaka Dahiru and Secretary, Kabir Dalha Kabir, on Friday said the Polytechnic established in 1975 due to none compliance with the Polytechnic Law 2005 or Polytechnic Act 2019 not domesticated, the Polytechnic may be closed by NBTE using normative instrument for institutional accreditation.

The message read’’ The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic, Kano State Polytechnic Chapter wishes to Congratulate His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano State, Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf on his inauguration as the 8th Executive Governor of our dear State. The Union pray to Allah for his guidance and protection as he steer the affairs of our battered State in the next four years. Judging by the content of the government’s inherent Policy, the Union is full of hope that the government will take the right step to rescue Kano State Polytechnic from its precarious state of extinction. This hope is strengthen by visible act of the government, which is poised with serious thrust of developing education and ensuring strict adherence to law and order. ‘’

The union said the NBTE, which is the regulatory authority of the institution has warned severally conveying the decision of the federal ministry of education over the appointment of principal officer of Polytechnic across the country especially the Rector who must be a Chief lecturer with at least 5 years’ experience as Chief lecturer or equivalent of chief lecturer, that is, Professor but most have at least 15years experience with polytechnic system and must have his area of professionalism being taught in the polytechnic.

‘’The Union finds it imperative to tag this congratulatory message with a disturbing information of warning signal issued by our Regulatory Body –NBTE- for sanctioning Kano State Polytechnic on account of flouting the laws that established the Institution. With 100 % of our courses overdue for accreditation, if either the Polytechnic Law 2005 is not followed or Polytechnic Act 2019 is not domesticated, the Polytechnic will be closed using normative instrument for institutional accreditation,’’ the union said in the letter.

‘’It is disheartening to note that despite multiple correspondences on this warning to the previous administration, the warning in the letter from NBTE to the government was not heeded to. With all our neighboring States abiding by the regulatory directives and practical examples of institutions that were closed by the regulatory body in the country (e.g. MIT Enugu and Abia State Polytechnic), the government did not address the situation. ‘’

‘’This act jeopardizes the fate of over 16,000 students who have been left to doom as the certificates we offer would be invalidated and the Polytechnic will be closed. Our student would not be listed for NYSC programme. In addition, the Polytechnic would be delisted from JAMB enrolment. The parents and society would face the consequences of letting loose such huge number of aggrieved youth, including the girl child on the street without going to school. The fear of increasing social vices, public backlash and security threat of allowing such option is too costly to be allowed. Consequently, the union wishes to call the attention of the government to this existential threat and advise that the law establishing the institution be followed without any deviation in any form.’’