THE PRESIDENTIAL SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIP SCHEME FOR INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT (PRESSID) AND THE DISCRIMINATION OF POLYTECHNIC GRADUATES (HND HOLDERS) It appears normal in Nigeria to build from the top to the ground when the right way is to build from the ground upwards. This is why, among other misplaced priorities, we continue to encourage the training of scientists, administrators and managers in large numbers while discouraging the training of artisans, craftsmen, technicians and technologists through discrimination and at the same time hoping to advance technologically . If we all choose to be managers and administrators who will we manage or administer? Again, is it the quantity or quality of researchers that is more important? Is the research output of scientists worth more than an academic exercise on a piece of paper if not implemented by technologists? Is it not therefore obvious that we need to train more artisans, craftsmen, technicians and technologists than administrators, managers and scientists? Why then do we discourage Technical and Vocational education through discrimination against graduates of Polytechnics and Technical colleges? These were the questions that struck my mind when I attempted to apply for the Presidential special Scholarship Scheme for Innovation and Development (PRESSID) and I discovered that HND holders are not eligible based on the set requirements. This is the case with similar scholarship scheme of other government institutions like Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) e.t.c. and those of multinational companies particularly in the oil and gas sector of the economy. This trend has greatly affected the result of such schemes negatively since the trained researchers return to the country, after expensive study abroad, only to depend on the discouraged technologists (HND holders) for the implementation of the outcome of their research. Training more researchers abroad without corresponding training of technologists will not achieve the desired results. In fact the available researchers in our Universities and research Institutes are capable of carrying out useful research with implementable outcome if properly motivated through adequate funding, revamping of dilapidated facilities and replacement of obsolete laboratory facilities in their institutions and re-training to catch up with new techniques and practices. This will achieve better results within a short period, due to the experience of the available researchers, than the results achievable through training of fresh graduates from bachelor’s degree level to doctorate degree level as planned by the PRESSID. This is not to say that the PRESSID is a bad idea. It definitely has its merits in terms of producing more Researchers to complement available ones and fill existing vacancies. However, government’s priority should be on making the available researchers in our institutions more productive and also ensure the proper implementation of research outputs for technological advancement of the Nation. Therefore if the PRESSID is truly designed to facilitate the attainment of the goals of vision 20:2020 in terms of technological advancement, Polytechnic graduates, who constitute the technologists, should not be excluded from the scheme. The scheme should in fact train more technologists than scientists because there are many available research outputs, obtainable locally and internationally , that can be implemented by the technologists to the benefit of the Nation. The major impediment to the technological advancement of the Nation is not the dearth of researchers or research outputs but lack of implementation of available research findings and recommendations . China, India and Japan started their technological development through copy-technology and reverse engineering. They went from replication of existing technologies of high- tech Nations to the enhancement of their own customised technologies. These countries have functional Technical and Vocational education system backed by effective research institutes and Universities. The graduates of their Technical and Vocational institutions are not discriminated against in favour of their University counterparts. If the PRESSID must meet its objective of facilitating the advancement of Nigeria technologically , HND holders must be included. Submitted by: Adegbenro Kayode (08030755190) Send your article for publication on NIPOSAC to: [email protected] om
Posted on: Sat, 30 Nov 2013 23:14:51 +0000
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