- President Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) into a university
- Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the decision during a visit to the institution
- The Rector, Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, and the Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Funso Afolabi, urged the federal government to provide necessary resources for a smooth transition
President Bola Tinubu has given the green light for Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) to transition into a university. The Minister of Education, Doctor Tunji Alausa, confirmed this during a working visit to the institution on Friday, February 14.
Alausa revealed that Tinubu swiftly endorsed the proposal, emphasising his commitment to enhancing education for Nigerian youths.
He noted that the only remaining steps were formal documentation and procedural approvals from relevant authorities.
“The rector said some minutes ago that the staff, students, and management of the college had been praying and fasting that it be converted to a university. Somehow, you have kind of ambushed me.
“All the credit about this should go to the president, who loves education and is concerned about giving the best to the youths who are our future leaders,” the minister remarked.
Highlighting the institution’s readiness for this upgrade, Alausa pointed out that YABATECH boasts over 200 doctorate holders among its staff, reinforcing its capacity to function as a full-fledged university.
The school’s Rector, Dr. Ibrahim Abdul, also reiterated that YABATECH is equipped to take on the responsibilities of a university, urging the federal government to provide the necessary support.
“While we are praying that we become a university, we don’t want to become just one of those universities. We want to be a university of technical and vocational education that will bring innovation and also solve societal problems and challenges and contribute greatly to the advancement of our dear country,” Abdul stated.
Similarly, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Funso Afolabi, expressed gratitude for the minister’s visit and appealed for his assistance in meeting the institution’s needs.
FG plans conversion of colleges of education to universities, says minister
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Federal Government considered a proposal to transform all federal colleges of education into universities of education.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, explained that the move is motivated by students' declining interest in colleges of education, which has led to dwindling enrollment numbers.