Abuja, Nigeria
The bill for the conversion of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) to a university has passed its second reading at the Senate.
The bill titled “The Yaba Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies (Establishment) Bill” is sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele.
During Tuesday’s plenary, Bamidele stated that the new university would promote the advancement of learning and provide Nigerians with greater access to higher education.
“It will provide courses of instruction and other facilities for the pursuit of learning in all branches and make those facilities available on proper terms to such persons as are equipped to benefit from them,” he said.
“It will encourage and promote scholarship and conduct research in all fields of learning with emphasis on technical education. It will also relate its activities to the social, cultural and economic needs of the people of Nigeria.”
Bamidele stated that the university would take over all existing structures, assets, and staff of YabaTech, continuing its mission as an institution committed to technical and vocational excellence.
“The institution is prepared to remain true to its core mandate of producing well-trained manpower capable of driving the technological, management and business goals of the nation,” he said.
“In this regard, it will seek to emulate the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.”
He pointed out that the transformation would have no financial implications, as the operational structures are already in place and the university would operate within YABATECH’s existing budgetary provisions.
“The provisions in this bill are adequate to ensure the takeoff of the proposed university, and I urge my colleagues to support it at all stages of its journey to becoming a law of the federation of Nigeria,” he said.
The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, said YABATECH deserved an upgrade given its track record.
“YABATECH deserves to be transformed into a university. It’s an institution that’s well known for what it has been doing to develop our educational system in this country, particularly technical education,” he said.
“So transforming it to a university will be an addition to our tertiary education system, particularly in engineering and related fields.”
Barau referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND for further legislative work.
Earlier in the year, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced that approval has been given by President Bola Tinubu for the institution to be converted to a university status.
