Bill to allow polytechnics award degrees passes second reading at house of reps

A bill seeking to grant polytechnics the authority to award bachelor’s degrees has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.

Sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Faud Laguda, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Lagos State, the bill aims to amend the Federal Polytechnics Act 2004 to expand the role of polytechnics in Nigeria’s education system.

The proposed amendment includes adding representatives from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to the governing councils of polytechnics. It also seeks to raise the qualification requirement for federal polytechnic rectors to a PhD and empower academic boards to award Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) degrees.

Leading the debate, Laguda emphasized the importance of adapting polytechnics to global standards. “The amendment will enable polytechnics to meet up with the demand of the ever-changing world while adhering to international best practices,” he said.

He urged lawmakers to support the bill, stating that its goal is to enhance technical education in Nigeria through a more structured polytechnic system. When Speaker Abbas called for a voice vote, lawmakers overwhelmingly supported the bill, moving it one step closer to becoming law.

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