By Sani Idris

The Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Kaduna, Prof Idris Bugaje, on Tuesday appealed for enhanced funding of polytechnics.

Making the appeal at the inauguration of NBTE Research, Development and Innovation Exhibition Hall in Kaduna, Bugaje observed that inadequate funding was limiting innovation and research development in those institutions.

He noted that huge amount of funds had been pumped into the system over the years by government and agencies for research and development, with minimal realisation of the aims and objectives for which the funds were meant.

“Last year alone, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, funded 12 ‘Centres of Excellence’, each with N2 Billion, to promote research.

“In previous years, billions were also invested into universities for research and development, but up till today, there is no significant technological development in the country.

“We have been investing billions into research, but yet to see innovations going into commercialisation.

“For that reason, we want all those funding them to realise there is need for a paradigm shift; there is something we are getting wrong, which is, not allowing polytechnics to key into the research and development agenda,” he said.

According to him, a lot of research works in universities end up as journal papers, noting that only few attract patents.

“There is a role polytechnics can play, which is, to take them to the level of innovation and commercialisation.

“Any research which does not reach commercialisation stage, is not an innovation.

“That is why prior to inaugurating the hall today, we screened many research works from polytechnics, and identified the ones we feel can be commercialised”, he said

Bugaje also suggested that synergy between polytechnics and universities would breach the gap in enhancing research and development, as well as move to level of innovation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that some research works and prototypes were displayed at the exhibition hall, to be developed and commercialised.

They include wind powered water pump, avian micro egg incubator, 3D printer, rice husk gasifier stove and electronic scooter, among others.

The prototypes were brought from carefully selected polytechnics across Nigeria, where they were produced.