‘Senate to Strengthen Nigeria Educational System through Legislation’

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Chairman Senate Committee on Petroleum Downstream Sector, and member, Senate Committee on Education and TETFund, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, has said that National Assembly will help the federal government to strengthen the country’s educational system.

Ubah stated this during the commissioning of two students hostels at the Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State.

The hostels, which were meant for male and female students of the institution, were valued at N550 million, and sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund).

He said: “The National Assembly will continue to work harmoniously with the executive arm of government to make the nation’s educational institutions globally competitive for economic and technological development.

“I assure you that the 10th Senate under the leadership of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and indeed, the entire National Assembly will continue to provide necessary support through the enactment of legislations that would further advance tertiary education in Nigeria.”

He commended TETfund for their support to the education sector, noting that “101 lecturers have been sponsored by TETfund for Ph.D in both foreign and local institutions totaling N487,527,656.10.

“TETFund has also sponsored 60 lecturers for Masters Degrees in both foreign and local institutions totaling N293,102,460.00, while 90 staff have been sponsored for conferences locally and abroad at a total cost of N111,471,159.50.”

Ubah urged the polytechnic to take full advantage of the hostel facilities and make good use of them for the educational and vocational development of the students.

The Executive Secretary of TETfund, Mr. Sonny Echono, who was represented by Director, Monitoring and Evaluation Department, Mr. Babatunde Olajide, said that the projects would address the accommodation needs of students, stem the tide of negative influences on students’ youth population and address security concerns in the polytechnic community.

The Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Dr. Francisca Nwafulugo, described the commissioning of the hostels’ as giant step in the institution’s quest to accommodate more of its students within the polytechnic’s campus to enhance their security and well-being.