The National Association of Polytechnic Students [NAPS], representing over 28.1 million Nigerian Polytechnic, Monotechnic, and Colleges of Technology students at home and in the diaspora, on Thursday, 3rd September 2025, engaged in a high-level meeting with His Excellency, Prof. Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, Honourable Minister of Education, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Leading the delegation, the President of NAPS, COMRADE ESHIOFUNE PAUL OGHAYAN [GCNPS SHOPRITE], addressed the Honourable Minister on critical issues affecting Polytechnic students across the federation. The meeting was frank, robust, and outcome-oriented.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE MINISTER’S REFORMS
In my opening address, I appreciated the Minister for his open-door leadership style and commitment to repositioning Nigeria’s education sector under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.
The Association acknowledged specific interventions including:
__Approval of new Technical and Vocational Education and Training [TVET] programmes.
__Rollout of the NELFUND loan scheme to widen access to education.
__Increased TETFund interventions in infrastructure and research.
__Promotion of digital entrepreneurship through the 3 Million Technical Talent [3MTT] and iDICE initiatives.
__Appointment of Dr. S.S. Umar, Rector of Auchi Polytechnic, as Chairman of the Ministerial Committee on Drug Prevention in Schools.
NAPS’ 10-POINT DEMAND PRESENTED
The NAPS leadership tabled a 10-point agenda before the Minister, emphasizing systemic reforms and urgent interventions:
- Full inclusion of Polytechnic students in the NELFUND scheme with clear disbursement timelines.
- Implementation roadmap for newly approved TVET programmes.
- Comprehensive curriculum reform for Polytechnics.
- Increased funding for Polytechnic education.
- Ending the unjust HND/B.Sc. dichotomy.
- Rethinking the proposed conversion of Polytechnics into Universities — advocating instead for global-standard upgrades while retaining technical mandates.
- Addressing the exclusion of ND Part-Time graduates from NYSC.
- Upgrading NBTE into a National Commission for Technical Education [NCTE].
- Youth empowerment and strategic inclusion of NAPS technocrats in national programmes.
- Establishment of a National Agricultural Empowerment and Employment Agency [NAEEA].
Additionally, I presented the lingering crisis at Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Bayelsa State, where students have been held hostage without lectures for three months. In addition, the Senate President added part of the reasons why the Rector is under attack. The Director of Polytechnic Dr. Ejeh, further affirmed before the minister of the report from NAPS and his findings too as at when he led a delegation to visit the institution sometime ago! The Honourable Minister immediately set up a national committee to resolve the crisis, with NAPS included.
MINISTER’S RESPONSE AND KEY COMMITMENTS
The Honourable Minister, Prof. Alausa, gave detailed responses, reflecting government’s commitment to Polytechnic education. His assurances include:
- On NELFUND Loan Scheme
Ministerial committees have been set up to harmonize institutional participation.
Institutions with unaccredited courses will not benefit until they regularize with NBTE.
All categories of school dues [Departmental, faculty, Association fees, etc.] will soon be captured under NELFUND, easing student burdens.
- On Newly Approved TVET Programmes
In two weeks, another set of TVET programmes will be launched.
The Ministry has resolved conflicts between NBTE and ITF, ensuring that SIWES allowances will now be paid directly by the Federal Government, removing bottlenecks and delays.
- On Curriculum Reform
A committee is already working on outdated Polytechnic curricula.
Following NAPS’ request, the Minister directed NBTE to include three [3] NAPS representatives in the committee, ensuring students’ voices in curriculum redesign.
- On Increased Funding
Polytechnic education received a significantly higher budgetary allocation under the current administration compared to past governments.
- On Ending HND/B.Sc. Dichotomy
The Minister declared support for abolishing this injustice.
He revealed that the National Assembly bill will be converted into an Executive Bill to fast-track presidential assent and provide legal resolution.
He emphasized that the stagnation faced by HND holders at entry-level grades must end under his watch.
- On Conversion of Polytechnics into Universities
The Minister assured: “No more conversions will be approved.”
Already approved conversions [e.g., Ilaro, Yabatech] are meant to advance TVET at apex levels, not undermine the Polytechnic system.
- On NYSC Eligibility for ND Part-Time Graduates
New policy structure:
ND Part-time → HND Full-time = Eligible for NYSC
ND Part-time → HND Part-time = Not Eligible for NYSC
He instructed NAPS to compile names of eligible students wrongly denied NYSC mobilization for urgent correction.
- On Upgrading NBTE into NCTE
Work is ongoing to transform NBTE into a Commission granting it greater autonomy and prestige.
- On Empowerment of Students and NAPS Technocrats
The Ministry will roll out a Student Venture Grant (SVG), starting with ₦50 million, to support creative talents, innovators, and digital entrepreneurs.
- On Establishment of NAEEA
Expanded agricultural empowerment projects running into billions of naira will begin in selected Polytechnics, with nationwide expansion planned.
STATEMENT BY THE SSA TO THE PRESIDENT ON STUDENT ENGAGEMENT COMR. ASEFON SUNDAY DAYO
The Senior Special Assistant [SSA] to the President on Student Engagement addressed the meeting and urged NAPS to intensify student sensitization on timely compliance with registration and application timelines, particularly for schemes like NELFUND and NYSC. Key points included:
Register early when portals open; do not wait until closing days to avoid system congestion and banking network delays, especially around month-end.
Many cases of inability to register or perceived “denial” arise from late registration habits rather than policy exclusion.
Typical portal windows [e.g., 15 days] must be utilized from Day 1; students should monitor official announcements and act promptly.
IN CONCLUSION OF THE MINISTER’S CLOSING REMARKS
The Honourable Minister concluded by urging Nigerian students to be ambassadors of hope for the nation, stressing that negative portrayals of Nigeria in the media undermine opportunities already created by government. He reassured NAPS that Polytechnic education will no longer be relegated to the background in Nigeria’s development agenda.
For NAPS, this meeting marks a milestone. Tangible commitments have been secured on issues that affect our constituency directly. While we celebrate these gains, we shall remain vigilant, consistent, and unyielding until every promise is implemented.
The struggle for equity, dignity, and recognition of Polytechnic education continues. As our founding fathers taught us: “Aluta Continua, Victoria Ascerta!”
Yours In The Service,
Comr. Eshiofune Paul Oghayan, GCNPS (ShopRite)
President, NAPS
