INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Polytechnics are higher institutions set up primarily to produce indepth
technical manpower in administrative, technical and commercial fields for the
development of national economy. In Nigeria, it is widely recognized that
polytechnics play crucial roles in the education of future leaders and
development of high level technical manpower. According to the National
Board for Technical Education (1993), polytechnics are technical institutions
offering multi post-secondary technical education programmes outside the
universities leading to the award of diplomas/certificates such as the National
Diploma (ND), Higher National Diploma HND) and Post-HND professional
diplomas. Okpeodua (2007) opines that the decision of the Federal Government
to set up polytechnic education was predicated on the decision to revolutionize
the society technologically. Hence, polytechnics are established to train and
produce the technical manpower necessary for the execution of the nation’s
development plans, goals and strategies. This is a role which they have
effectively played since the establishment of the first polytechnic, Yaba
College of Technology, in 1947.

The sensitive position of polytechnics in the Nigerian educational
system is vividly captured by the 2002 education summit organized by the
Federal Ministry of Education. In the summit, polytechnics were recognized as
authentic tertiary educational institutions on the same pedestal as universities, xv
but with its own characteristic orientation towards the production of
technological manpower and technological innovation for industrial
development in Nigeria. The federal ministry of education summit (2002)
therefore resolved that the mission of polytechnics is to produce knowledgeable
and innovative graduates worthy in character and learning through effective
teaching, research and public service for the technological advancement of the
country.

The core functions of polytechnics as captured in section (2) of federal
polytechnic Act (1979) are:

(a) to provide full-time or part-time courses of instruction and
training in technology, applied science, commerce and
management, and in such other fields of applied learning
relevant to the needs of the development of Nigeria in the
areas of industrial and agricultural production and distribution
and for research in the development and adaptation of
techniques as the council may from time to time determine;
(c) to arrange conferences, seminars and study groups relative to
the fields of learning specified in paragraph (a) of this
subsection (i);
(d) to perform such other functions as in the opinion of Council
may serve to promote the objectives of the polytechnic
(p.5878).

In the same vein, section 80(c) of the National policy on Education
(FRN) (2004) states that “polytechnics shall give training and impact necessary
skills that will fast track the nation’s drive towards technological development
as well as producing graduates who can prove themselves worthy men and
women and who are able to use their brain as adequately as they can apply their
hands.