Senate, on Thursday approved the establishment of Federal College of Education (Technical) in Aghoro, Bayelsa State following the consideration of report of its Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, chaired by Senator Barau Jibrin, APC-Kano North during plenary.
Presenting the report, Senator Jibrin recalled that the bill on establishment of the institution, sponsored by Senator Foster Ogola, PDP-Bayelsa West, was referred to his committee on May 30, 2018 for further legislative inputs.
He informed that participants at a public hearing organised by the committee on March 14 this year, agreed that the College, when established, “will facilitate educational and technical development of the state, particularly in the development of middle level manpower for primary and secondary schools”.
Findings by the committee, the chairman said, shown that “Bayelsa State does not have a Federal College of Education”, adding that its establishment would “address this challenge”.
“The establishment of the institution will assist in addressing the shortage of teachers in the country, reduce unemployment, improve the livelihood of the people and also play a vital role in human and economic development of the state.
“Also, Aghoro community is prepared to make available a sufficient expanses of land to accommodate the proposed Federal College of Education, Aghoro”, Senator Jibrin stated.
The committee, therefore, recommended the establishment of the institution by the Senate, saying this “will help in producing the desire manpower and expertise needed for the teaching profession”.
In his contribution, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, APC-Niger North, commended the committee for a job well done and supported approval of the institution by the Senate in view of the importance of technical education in the country.
Subsequently, the lawmakers unanimously approved the establishment of the College when the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki put it on voice votes.
Other institutions endorsed for establishment by the upper legislative chamber are the Federal University of Aquatic Studies, Ogbaru, Anambra State, Federal University Uga and School of Mines and Geological Studies, Guyuk, Adamawa State.
