In recent weeks, prominent polytechnic advocate and retired Rector of Osun State College of Technology (OSCOTECH), Dr. Samson Adegoke, delivered a searing indictment of Nigeria’s educational priorities. He warns that the longstanding neglect of polytechnic institutions is directly hampering technological innovation and is exacerbating the country’s unemployment crisis. His candid revelations paint a bleak picture – but also highlight a path forward.
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“Polytechnic Apathy”: Funding and Staffing Failures
Dr Adegoke, who also chaired the Committee of State Rectors, described his tenure as one marked by persistent underfunding and inadequate human capital. More than a decade ago, several senior lecturers exited the civil service to dodge pension contributions, and no replacements have been recruited since 2012. Now, college administration falls back on locally‑employed contract staff—talented individuals, but lacking permanent status or long‑term institutional stability.
He emphasised, “The mix of seasoned lecturers and industry-experienced teachers is the only thing keeping accreditation standards intact”— a sobering testament to makeshift solutions when systemic support fails.
Admissions Crash: A Self‑Inflicted Wound
Campus vitality has dramatically fallen. OSCOTECH’s student body shrank from approximately 12,000 to 5,700 at one point—due to regulatory clampdowns on study centres, suspension of admissions, and cancellations of part-time programs leading to diminished NYSC participation.
Nevertheless, Dr. Adegoke turned the trend around. Through vigorous accreditation and program expansion, the student population surged to around 9,500. Over 16 new programs have been introduced, with 11 accredited by 2019, and four more succeeding in 2023.
Strategic Planning + Smart Funding = Tangible Growth
OSCOTECH’s transformation didn’t occur by chance. In 2019, Dr. Adegoke introduced a five‑year strategic vision—Vision 2023: The Great Aspiration—that has guided infrastructural upgrades ever since. Through successive wins from TETFund’s zonal and annual interventions, and the 2024 High Impact grant, the college doubled its built environment, boosted facilities, and even constructed a Centre for Distance Learning.
What’s more, leadership cultivated trust—by clearing legacy salary arrears, keeping the school strike‑free, and delivering transparent student and staff welfare. The result? A debt-free institution equipped to pursue its vision.
Polytechnics vs. Universities: The Bias Factor
According to Dr. Adegoke, there’s an implicit bias against polytechnic education. He labels it a “polytechnic elite conspiracy.” Parents avoid enrolling their children in polytechnics despite their relevance. Instead, university alternatives like UNIOSUN and UNILESA flourish—even charging higher fees—due to societal and political preferences.
The upshot: degree holders flood the market lacking job-ready skills, while technically‑linked institutions—designed to fuel innovation—remain underfunded and under‑enrolled.
Calling for Curriculum Reform: The Case Against HND
In perhaps his boldest proposal, Dr. Adegoke urges the abolition of the Higher National Diploma (HND). He calls for a two‑tier diploma structure akin to education reforms in Ghana, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan, where B.Tech and M.Tech are the pathways to advanced technical mastery.
By eliminating HND and instituting a more vocational B.Tech, polytechnics would align better with industry‑driven innovation and global educational models, bridging the gap between graduates and real‑world demand.
From Concept to Creation: OSCOTECH’s Technological Wins
Under his tenure, OSCOTECH didn’t just renovate classrooms—it innovated. Students and staff engineered a remote‑sensing door, GSM‑controlled generator, and automated gate system, earning second place overall (and first among polytechnics) at Nigeria’s 2021 National Science & Technology Expo.
Sadly, these creations remain uncommercialized—SSCOTECH lacks the funding or private‑sector partnerships to bring them to market—a microcosm of the broader neglect confronting Nigerian polytechnics.
Surviving Scandal and Threats: A Rector’s Ordeal
Dr. Adegoke’s story isn’t all applauded. Power struggles led to political scrutiny—an accusation of partisan bias, an executive suspension in December 2022, and even an assassination attempt days after reinstatement.
Amid the crisis, however, he notes the resilience of purpose: he returned to complete transformational work and retire on a high note, school intact, finances balanced, and his strategic blueprint unfolding.
Why This Matters – And What Must Happen Now
National Risk: Technological Atrophy
We risk stagnating in a world racing ahead. If Nigerian polytechnics continue to suffer neglect, the country will falter in critical areas—industrial automation, software systems, engineering, electronics, and remote sensing—fields that underpin future competitiveness.
Practical Next Steps:
- Institutionalize Contract-to-Permanent Tracks
Governments must convert locally‑employed teachers into tenured staff through planned cycles, ensuring institutional memory and workforce stability. - Reorient Curriculum to Tech Realities
Transition HND to B.Tech frameworks aligned with industry needs and international standards—balancing theory with hands‑on skills. - Encourage Private Sector‑Polytechnic Partnerships
Policies should incentivize on‑campus commercialization hubs, grant access, and revenue‑share models to bring student innovations to market. - Rebrand Polytechnic Education
A national campaign, coupled with admission incentives, must shift societal perceptions—polytechnics aren’t fallbacks; they are springboards to employment.
A Polytechnic Renaissance – Within Reach
Dr. Adegoke’s parting message is firm: alternative educational routes—certifications, coding bootcamps, micro‑credentials—are overtaking traditional degrees globally. Nigeria must pivot or be left behind.
OSCOTECH stands as a case in point: a modest polytechnic that leveraged vision, grants, and leadership to outperform itself. It’s time for state and federal governments, the private sector, philanthropists, and communities to rally behind Nigerian polytechnics—and turn that success into a nationwide breakthrough.
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