A bill to upgrade the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State to Federal University of Technology, Oko on Wednesday, passed first reading on the floor of the Senate.
Sponsored by Senator Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah representing the Anambra South Senatorial Zone in the upper chamber, the bill seeks the establishment of the Federal University of Technology Oko, Anambra to offer full time academic courses in Science and Arts as practiced in other institutions.
According to Senator Ubah, the primary objective of this university is to produce qualified graduates with capabilities not only to understand the technological needs of Nigeria as a nation but also to exploit existing technological infrastructure and improve on them to develop new ones.
He noted that the University will be supervised by the Federal Ministry of Education through the National University Commission (NUC) which shall be responsible for approving and regulating all academic programmes run by the University, to ensure compliance and provide funds for academic and research programmes, infrastructure and remuneration of employees.
“It is my belief that the institution will produce graduates with practical as well as theoretical knowledge of technology and arts so as to bring about quality changes in our educational sector as it would focus on practical teaching and learning innovations.
In view of the need to expand the current admission capacity of our Universities, the establishment of the Federal University of Technology Oko, Anambra is not only a timely and apt legislation, but a bill that will show the Ninth Senate’s responsiveness to the needs of our citizens for qualitative education.
“When established, the institution will offer full time academic courses in Science and Arts as practiced in institutions like; the Institute of Management Technology, Enugu (IMT), Federal University of Technology Minna (FUTMINNA) and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH).
“It is therefore my expectation that having passed the first reading, the bill will be read the second time, recommended to the relevant committee for further legislative action and given accelerated passage”, he submitted.
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