Senate, through its Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund has commended President Bola Tinubu for establishing more federal universities in the country.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Muntari Dandutse, gave the commendation during a public hearing on three crucial bills for the establishment and amendment of some federal institutions.
The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the bills are: A bill to provide for the upgrade of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba, to the Federal University of Technology, Asaba, Delta State.
The other two are the Federal College of Education (Special) Karaye, Kano State (Establishment) Bill and Federal University of Education Gumel, Jigawa State (Establishment) Bill.
Dandutse said “I want to sincerely appreciate the president for his efforts in moving the educational sector forward in this country.”
According to Dandutse, the three bills are crucial to the development of the tertiary education sector.
He added that the bills reflect our collective aspirations to expand access to higher education and enhance the quality of training across institutions.
“The Federal University of Technology Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024 seeks to amend key provisions in the principal Act to align it with contemporary realities and global best practices.
“This amendment is crucial in strengthening the operational framework of our universities of technology and ensuring that they fulfill their mandates in research, innovation and manpower development.
“The Federal College of Education (Special), Karaye, Kano State (Establishment) Bill, 2024 proposes the establishment of a specialised institution dedicated to inclusive education.
“This is with a focus on training professionals equipped to work with persons with special needs, a significant step toward addressing the educational gap for differently-abled individuals and promoting inclusive growth.
“The Federal University of Education, Gumel, Jigawa State (Establishment) Bill, 2025 aims to upgrade teacher education and provide a platform for advanced learning in pedagogy and curriculum development.”
The chairman assured that the committee is fully committed to legislative interventions that are evidence-based, participatory and responsive to the needs of citizens.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio declared the event open, saying the gathering is a testament to the Senate’s commitment to transparency, accountability and inclusive governance in shaping the future of Nigeria’s educational sector.
Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau, said education plays a pivotal role in driving national development and equipping youths with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed and compete globally.
“The bills under consideration before us today are crucial to the growth and development of our educational system and they seek to address some of the pressing challenges facing our tertiary institutions.”
He assured that the Senate remains committed to promoting quality education and ensuring that institutions meet global standards.
“We recognise the importance of collaboration and partnership in achieving these goals,” he said.
NAN reports that Senator Ned Nwoko (APC-Delta) sponsored the bill to provide for the upgrade of the Federal College of Education (Technical) Asaba to the Federal University of Technology, Asaba
He noted that the bill is rooted in a clear and urgent national need to expand access to quality and technology-driven education.
“The bill is to also bridge the existing regional gap in the distribution of federal universities of technology.
“The South South geopolitical zone, in spite of its vast contributions to Nigeria’s economy, particularly in oil, gas and manufacturing, currently has no federal university of technology.
“This bill aims to correct that imbalance by transforming a long-standing institution with strong technical foundation into a full-fledged university equipped to meet Nigeria’s 21st-century developmental needs.” NAN
