Bursars Association of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology (BURSCON) has decried inadequate funding for Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology across Nigeria, saying this has affected their operations.
They noted that quest for more revenue in tertiary institutions cannot be overemphasised, urging government to give necessary attention to needs of these institutions for them to give quality education to their students.
Speaking in Ibadan at the 46th Quarterly Meeting of the association at CIBN hall of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, BURSCON National President, Dr Salisu Ladan, who was represented by his Financial Secretary, Kassim Shika said tertiary institutions are facing various challenges ranging from high cost of operations, staff claims, students request and infrastructural deficit among others.
He however urged his members to sit and reviewed their operations, saying they should find another source of generating money outside students registration fees and government interventions because this is the only way towards sustainance of tertiary institutions.
“There are some strategies bursars can deploy to reduce the financial problem of their institutions to the barest minimum which includes proper utilisation of the little revenue you have, reduction in cost of operations and improvement of IGR.”
The Governing Council Chairman of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Prof. Kunle Akinyemi, said challenges facing Polytechnics and Colleges of Education are enoumous, lamenting effect of poor state of economy on institutions particularly during the Covid 19 era.
He however said the meeting would assist participants to rub minds together and synergise to strengthen their institutions financial policy.
The Rector of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Prof Kazeem Adebiyi urged participants to shared experience, saying that the meeting should of benefit to the association and their various institutions.
“Funding is the bedrock of any institution, but they need to assist their institutions to sustained their financial obligations because resources are scared.”
The Chairman, Ibadan District Society of Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr Ayuba Kadri urged participants to always be transparent, upright and showed integrity in their dealings because all eyes are on them due to the positions they held in their various institutions.
“Always make sure you train yourself and people under you so that you can discharge your duties as expected in line with current ICT dispensation.”