TERTIARY education in Nigeria is undertaken via two primary fora: polytechnics and universities.

While
polytechnic education is usually geared towards technical and vocational education, usually in the field
of technology, applied science, commerce and management, university education is not limited to
technical or vocational teachings alone, but encompasses an array of topical studies, mostly academic
and theoretical, in different fields of learning. Polytechnics usually offer more practical, hands-on
approach to technical subjects, whereas universities tend to focus more on the empirical, research-
based studies.

The perception and challenges of polytechnic education in Nigeria: The main objective of polytechnic
education is the promotion of technical and vocational education and training, technology transfer as
well as skills development. It plays a vital role in human resource development of a country by creating
skilled manpower, enhancing industrial productivity and improving the quality of life. Universally,
polytechnic education is meant to provide technical learning that could assist society in meeting its
industrial aspirations. However, polytechnic education in Nigeria does not have the attention and
recognition it truly deserves. Without a doubt, the most profound challenge bedevilling it relates to its
poor perception amongst prospective students, parents and guardians. This discrimination is usually a
product of institutionally entrenched stigmatization and inferiority complex which students and
graduates of the institution may feel; or perhaps the attitude of employers to job applicants who are
products of polytechnics; and conversely, in the workplace, the level which polytechnic graduates are
placed within the official organogram. For instance, HND graduates are usually placed on entry Grade
Level 07 within the civil service while their university counterparts commence on Grade Level 08.
Likewise, HND graduates do not proceed beyond GL 14 in the service. It has been noted that this
dichotomy is traceable to the period right after independence when the first Cookie Commission of
Enquiry set up a salary differential between university graduates and their polytechnic counterparts.
Furthermore, admissions requirements into Nigerian polytechnics are usually far less stringent than
university admission, usually, four credit passes from West African Examinations Council, WAEC, exams
– and thus the inevitable tendency to presume that polytechnics are meant for students with poor
academic prospects. Beyond the stigmatization and unfavourable employment policies besetting
polytechnic graduates, one fundamental challenge facing polytechnic education in Nigeria is
underfunding, although this is not totally peculiar to polytechnics, as all public tertiary institutions in
Nigeria are generally underfunded. As noted earlier, polytechnic education is more technical-training
oriented and usually adopts a practical approach to technical education. Therefore, the purchase and
maintenance of adequate equipment, as well as payment of training tutors has always been a major
challenge in the efficient and effective training of polytechnic students. Summing up the challenges
facing polytechnic education in Nigeria, the National President of the Academic Staff Union of
Polytechnics, Comrade Usman Dutse, was reported to have noted that: “the neglect and stigma given to
that (polytechnic) sector is killing the morale of the products being churned out and stakeholders as
well. Even in terms of funding, polytechnics are usually the less funded in the tertiary sector, not
minding the fact that technical and vocational education is capital intensive. Because it is about skills,
relevant facilities and equipment must be available. If you look at most of our institutions, the
equipment are dilapidated, no adequate funding, even the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund),
what is given to the polytechnics is half of what is given to the universities. “The polytechnic sector is
not getting the commensurate attention it deserves. The issue of adequate manpower and
diversification of government policies can only be achieved when proper skill is deposited in the
economy. Technical and vocational education cut across every sector of the economy, skill is required in
all aspects, and so there is no way diversification would be achieved either in mining or agriculture
without adequate skilled manpower that we require to run the sector. Definitely, that ambition or
project of the government would only be an illusion so far as polytechnic education is not properly
funded and equipped.” Need to focus on technical education: It has been noted that technology is the
bedrock of a market-driven and knowledge-based economy. Technical education, as enshrined in the
Nigerian national policy on education, is concerned with qualitative technological human resources
development directed towards a national pool of skilled and self-reliant craftsmen, technicians and
technologists in technical and vocational education fields. The low pace of industrialization and
technological growth in Nigeria can be attributed to dwindling focus on technological training. Equally,
the Nigerian value system places much more emphasis on academic qualifications, rather than the
depth of skill and knowledge possessed by individuals, and as noted by Nworlu-Elechi during the
proceeding of the first ASUP Zone D National Conference tagged “Technical and Vocational Education
for National Transformation: “…in the public service, graduates of technical education are often
discriminated against and their career prospect limited. For this reason, secondary school leavers and
parents prefer university education to technical education.” Nigerian’s technological scene cannot
develop without well-equipped technical and vocational institutions; it is a missing link in Nigeria’s
development policy, and therefore, the nation must invest heavily in education with particular attention
given to vocational and technical education. The content of the technical subjects is oriented towards
the practical side of the outside world, which supports and develop creative thinking. As an important
part of human culture, technology has always been closely connected with the creative people’s work
activities. Man was, is and will be the main initiator of any technological innovations and changes, and
thus will always influence his attitudes, values, mental and physical health and lifestyle. Evolution is
significantly influenced by technological progress, which creates technically trained and educated
individuals. Applying technical knowledge in practice is a prerequisite for a successful society. Technical
education is based on the recognition that technology paves the way for the present as well as the
future of human existence, and therefore, its overall impact on human development cannot be
overemphasised. Recommendation: One of the most important steps to enhance technical education in
Nigeria is the provision of adequate resources for technical and vocational education. Inadequate funds
affect the provision of essentials such as well-equipped laboratories and workshops, relevant textbooks
and training manuals. Likewise, the appointment of skilled and proficient teachers to impart knowledge
should be given topmost priority. There is the need for mandatory, regular in-service training for
teachers of technology to upgrade their skills. Periodical industrial training for teachers is a sine-qua-non
in order to keep them abreast with the technological changes in the industry. Furthermore, the
government should take steps to remove, or at least curtail the dichotomy that exists between
university and technical institution. Qualifications obtained from polytechnic institutions should not be
treated as substandard, but each job applicant should be treated on his depth of knowledge and not
necessarily on the strength of his academic background. This will not only attract more qualified
students to vocational/technical education but will also encourage exchange of qualified
lecturers/instructors between the two systems. Lastly, and as noted by Professor Reko Okoye and
Maxwell Onyenwe Arimonu of the Department of Vocational Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University,
Awka, Nigeria, there is the need for our technical institutions to establish good relationship and linkages
with similar institutions abroad as this will promote cross – fertilization of ideas and enhance technology
transfer. By doing this the technical institutions will have access to new developments, exchange
programmes and other numerous benefits available at those institutions whose technical programmes
are well developed.