Integrating Sustainability into the Management of Nigerian Polytechnics: Issues and Strategic Options

Abstract

The study is focused on ways sustainability and optimal performance can be achieved in Nigerian Polytechnics especially in this era of the global pandemic with dwindling revenues in the nation. With the economic challenges brought by the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the educational sector, it necessitates the need to adopt appropriate management skills and educational strategies to enable the diversification of the sources of education funding in order to be self-sustaining and adapting to changing circumstances in the next normal. Extant literature relating to the study was expansively reviewed in line with self-sustenance and strategic agility. The paper which uses content analysis and secondary data was anchored on the Performance Management theory in its theoretical framework. It was gathered from the study that Managers of the Polytechnics should think out of the box to explore the enormous untapped potentials that can help to leverage the higher education sector for superior performance and in the realization of global best practices in academics. Conclusively, the study calls for a re-evaluation of the internal capabilities of Polytechnics for productivity gains as reliance on only one source (government) of revenue can inhibit sustainable educational growth, global competitiveness and improved performance. Lastly, the study suggested that the management of public Polytechnics should embark on a strategic rethink and develop possible initiatives for proper repositioning for positive impact and service delivery thereby exploiting to their advantages the unique opportunities available in entrepreneurship, innovation, marketing and the global knowledge space.