YABATECH, others to wait for varsity status 

 The Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) and five others pencilled down for upgrade into degree-awarding institutions will have to wait, it was learnt.

Education Minister Prof Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i spoke at YABATECH yesterday during the distribution of science kits to junior secondary schools.

She said the modalities for the upgrade are being worked out, adding that a committee has been set up to resolve issues that would arise.

According to her, some of these issues include converting the qualification of the National and Higher National Diploma to Bachelor of Technology (B.TECH), reconciling the profiles of academic staff and upgrading the curriculum.

She said with these resolved, the matter would be tabled before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.

The other institutions are Federal College of Education, Kano; Federal College of Education, Zaria; Avan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri; Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, and Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna.

Prof Rufa’i said for now the upgrade is a mere recommendation of the Implementation Committee on Guidelines for Degree Awarding for Colleges of Education and Polytechnics which submitted its report on July 20.

"We set up a committee to look into the upgrade of some institutions and they recommended the conversion of the six institutions and we accepted the recommendation.

‘’But we have to work through the modalities of the conversation and many stages are involved in the transformation. After that, we will present it before the Federal Executive Council for approval.

‘’It is when we get approval from the FEC that these institutions will now become degree-awarding institutions," she said.

She said the government is upgrading the institutions to expand access to university education.

The minister said efforts to ensure 10 million out-of-school children are enrolled at the basic education level are yielding results.

Seventy science kits were distributed to 10 junior secondary schools in Lagos at the event.

The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed, said 35 states would get 70 kits each while the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would receive 28.

He said the kits cost N711 million, adding that the money was from the balance of the accrued funds of the Home Grown School Feeding and Health Programme (HGSF&H).

The kits were designed and produced by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).

He urged the schools to take good care of the kits.

Lagos State Deputy Governor Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan praised UBEC and assured that the state would continue to invest in Technical and Vocational Education (TVE).

The Minister of Science and Technology, Prof Mohammed Kaoje Abubakar, who accompanied Prof Rufa’i for the launch, pledged his ministry’s support to development of science education.