Janet Samuel, Abuja
A bill for an Act to upgrade Federal College of Education, Okene to University of Education has passed second reading at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly.
The bill that was sponsored by the Senator representing Kogi Central, Yakubu Oseni was read the first time at during plenary on Tuesday, 22nd February, 2022.
Senator Oseni while leading the debate observed that for any country to achieve meaningful development, the socio-economic and political system must be enhanced.
He added that this is why successive Nigerian governments placed much emphases on the development of the individual as a means to national development.
He said the National Policy on Education (1981) postulates that education is “the greatest investment that the nation can make for the quick development of its economic, political, sociological and human resources.”
“Among the various educational institutions through which the nation hopes to achieve its developmental goals, specialized Universities of Education should take pre-eminence because they are set up to train the trainers”.
He said the development of a sound and robust educational system in any country is predicated on the availability of qualified and well trained teachers to impact the required knowledge on the students.
Senator Oseni maintained that “the need to have a strong system in our educational sector that shall continuously produce well qualified and trained teachers as is obtainable in other countries cannot be overemphasized”.
He added that the Federal University of Education, Okene is the fundamental justification for the establishment of the specialized institution of higher learning
The lawmaker added that the realization that Universities of Education are tools for national development have led to an unbridled quest for, and vigorous expansion of such institutions in Nigeria.
He explained that the Bill has no financial implication as structures and man power needs are already in existence in the Federal College of Education Okene.
Senator Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia representing Jigawa North East while supporting the bill said it is an important bill as it has to do with the development of teachers to improve the educational standard of the country.
Senate President Ahmed Lawan referred the bill to committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.
