The newly appointed Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Dr. Ibrahim Bello Bashir, has unveiled a robust reform agenda to revive the institution’s academic standards, increase enrollment, and integrate skills acquisition into the curriculum.
Speaking with The Nation, he highlighted the urgent need to reposition the polytechnic in response to declining student enrollment and the broader educational challenges in Yobe State.
“In 2025, our student intake dropped to just over 1,300,” he said. “This is concerning, especially for an institution of our capacity.”
With Damaturu and its environs hosting several tertiary institutions, the Rector noted that the Federal Polytechnic has a competitive edge that must be innovatively harnessed.
One of his key initiatives is integrating skills training into the academic curriculum, particularly targeting out-of-school children.
“Yobe State reportedly has the highest number of out-of-school children in Nigeria. We’re in talks with the state government to enrol 200 Almajiri children into skill acquisition programmes that will be certified and relevant to the job market,” he said.
Bashir, previously with the National Board for Technical Education, announced 10 new programmes, including Water Resources Engineering, Health Information Management, Environmental Health and Disease Control, and Dispensing Optimisation.
He hopes they will attract more students and increase enrollment figures to around 10,000 in the coming years.
The Rector said that although funding through TETFund remains limited, he has taken steps to secure international partnerships with academics and NGOs in the UK and Australia to support the institution.
He assured staff of improved welfare and prompt handling of entitlements and promotions.
Bashir said electricity was restored after three years following his intervention, and promised full renovation of hostels under the 2025 TETFund intervention, alongside a campus-wide water reticulation and landscaping project.
He said construction works for a Career Development Centre and a Vocational Education Centre were underway following a 24-hour ultimatum to a previously non-performing contractor handling the development centre.
He acknowledged that while institutional change is often gradual, over 60 per cent of staff have embraced the new direction.
“Not everyone may agree at once, but we’re confident the results will speak for themselves as we give back to the community,” he said.
