My desire is to get FCE Akoka upgraded to university — Provost

The Provost, Federal College of Education, Technical, Akoka, Lagos, Dr Wahab Azeez, has said he is desirous of getting the institution upgraded to a Federal University of Technical Education.

He stated this while briefing newsmen on the second anniversary of his assumption of office.

The 12th provost of the College said intervention agencies such as the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, were helping to improve the current state of the College in the areas of infrastructure, learning, and teaching.

“The Act that established this College is being amended at the National Assembly; my aspiration is to see that this College is upgraded to the Federal University of Technical Education.

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“This is to enable us to service the students who want to run degree programmes in technical education, and we are already talking with members of NASS on it. We need to make the public know the importance of technical education here in Nigeria; China is giving preference to technical education, being the reason for its progress,” he said.

Azeez profusely commended TETFund for being of great assistance to the College which has helped to introduce more programmes and also creating the enabling environment for youths to learn in a conducive atmosphere.

He noted that while his administration inherited some problems, it had taken steps to address a number of them such as dilapidated infrastructure, poor hostel accommodation, poor power supply among others.

Azeez added that to augment whatever subvention is given to the College, his administration created more and improved on business ventures to bring in more funds.

“Now, the issue of water and power supply is being addressed; alternatively, we got a proposal from a consultant to provide solar energy that we can use to power our streetlights and illuminate the entire environment when there is a power failure.
“We have constructed a two-storey block of classrooms for teaching and offices for use by members of staff, both for academic and non-academic, while our senior staff block will be changed to have inbuilt toilets.

“In addition, we have acquired equipment like multimedia projectors and interactive boards for departments, and also, the first-ever five hundred (500) capacity lecture theatre, which the College has never had,” he stated.

He appealed to the Lagos State Government to also come to the aid of the College since it is located in the state, though a federal government-owned institution.

Azeez said the College has linked up with the Divisional Police Station in Sabo, Yaba, to help improve the security arrangement in the College.
He added that close circuit cameras were being installed on campus to beef up internal security too.

Vanguard News Nigeria