Federal government has assured that efforts are being perfected to increase funding to the polytechnics in subsequent intervention programmes to meet their infrastructural needs.
This followed the implementation of eight hundred and thirty million naira, (N830,000,000) by the Management of Kaduna Polytechnic as part of its benefit from the NEEDS Assessment fund released to public polytechnics in 2022 by President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Speaking at Kaduna Polytechnic yesterday, during the 2023/2024 matriculation ceremony and commissioning of NEEDS Assessment Projects, 2022, the minister of education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, disclosed that the N15 billion released to states and federal polytechnics is not enough.
Prof. Mamman, represented by the ministry’s Director of Polytechnics and Allied Institutions, Dr. Alexander Ejeh Usman, lauded Kaduna Polytechnic for using the funds judiciously and promised to vote for more funds to meet the infrastructural needs of the Nigerian polytechnics.
He further disclosed that the NEEDS Assessment fund up to the tune of 15 billion naira was the result of the struggle of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP) that was given to all the polytechnics at both federal, state, and some army schools.
The minister therefore expressed satisfaction over the usage of the said fund, adding that the evidence seen shows that the rector and his team have done well and deserve commendations.
This Assessment 2022 project is aimed at finding lasting solutions to the problems faced by students in terms of hostels, classrooms, and water among other challenges. Kaduna Polytechnic no doubt is a beneficiary of this intervention. We are here because the Rector has utilised the funds well, else he would not have invited the Minister.
Kaduna Polytechnic is one of the foremost Polytechnics that executed their own. As I speak now, some polytechnics have not assessed this fund and Kaduna Polytechnic has finished ninety percent..
This need assessment is the first time the FG is giving to the Polytechnics but universities have been enjoying it. That is why ASUP from 2013 took it upon themselves to struggle and they have succeeded. So, from my conclusion here, the fund is well utilized by Kaduna Polytechnic management and the balance of ten percent will be duly paid.“
Earlier in his remarks, the rector of Kaduna Polytechnic, Dr. Suleiman Umar disclosed that the school has been able to construct two blocks of 18 lecture rooms and 42 staff offices funded by the Federal Government to the tune of N830 million. He lamented that there is need for more facilities even as he noted that some students were unable to secure admission into the Polytechnic due to limited space.
He further explained that aside from the issue of qualification, the school was able to matriculate 15,800 for the 2023/2024 academic session out of the 20,296 admissions received by the polytechnic.
