DTSG Gives Reasons For Upgrade Of Three Institutions To Universities, As Bill Scales First Reading

Barely 24 hours after the Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration in Delta State sent bills to the State House of Assembly, for the upgrade of three higher institutions to a university status, the government has given reasons for the decision.

Addressing Journalists on Wednesday, 27th January 2021, the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, disclosed that the state government deemed it necessary to follow the federal government deliberate policy of phasing out Higher National Diploma (HND), programme.

Flanked by his Information counterpart, Hon. Charles Aniagwu and the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Olisa Ifeajika, the Higher Education Commissioner asserted that the three Polytechnics and the School of Marine Technology in Burutu local government area would be left with the production of just National Diploma (ND) graduates.

He further disclosed that the state government’s decision to upgrade the schools to a University status was hing on the fact that it could not spend millions of naira producing just ND graduates.

His words: “And we asked ourselves the question, can we afford to spend so much on these four Institutions just for the ND programme? And when a student has gotten the ND, where is he progressing to? Before now, the student will progress to the HND programme”.

Prof. Muoboghare, noted that the decision was to provide a platform for the student to continue his education, “And that is why we decided that one of the Polytechnics should be upgraded to the status of the University of Science and Technology”.

Speaking further, he said: “As at today the focus of the Dr. Okowa’s government is to have Technical Colleges in all the local governments of Delta State after tantalizing these children with technical skills. They would not want to stop there knowing Deltans for who they are, they want to progress.

“So, naturally, there is a Polytechnic for them to go for their ND alone now because you cannot go beyond the ND and you know that these children were going for the ND initially because they have HND to progress to and since there is no HND, let us have a University of Science and Technology for them, this is why we took that decision”, Prof. Muoboghare, hinted.

He equally pointed out that the three Colleges of Education initially had the student strength of about 5, 000 applicants. “But as we speak the total number of students enrolled in the NCE programmes from NCE1 to NCE3 in Agbor, Warri and Mosogar put together is 2, 888 students.

“And the total monthly expenditures of Delta State on these three Colleges of Education that has 2, 888 students is N457 million per month for a total staff strength of about 1, 893 giving the state government a staff student ratio of 1:1.5 students to a staff. To us that is wasteful expenditure”, stressing that children are not too interested in the NCE programmes anymore.

The state government lamented that the sum of N457 million was being spent on empty lecture halls, “the alternative is to shut them down but certainly we will not shut them down. If we upgrade one to a University status and then the other two will run their programmes then those NCE students will know that they have somewhere to aspire to for their degree programme. That informed why we decided to upgrade one of the Colleges of Education to a University of Education”, adding that a neighbouring state has a student strength of 14, 000 in the University with salary wage of N250 million while Delta has a student strength of 2, 888 at the NCE level with salary wage of N457 million.

Meanwhile, the Bill for the Establishment of the Delta State University of Education, Agbor was on Wednesday, January 27, 2021 read for the first time on the floor of the House.

The Deputy Majority Leader who represents Bomadi State Constituency, Hon Kenneth Oboro Preyor moved the motion and was seconded by the Deputy Chief Whip, member representing Uvwie State Constituency, Hon Solomon Ighrakpata.

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Similarly, the Bill for the establishment for the University of Science and Agriculture, Asaba was moved by the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon.Kenneth Oboro Preyor and was seconded by the member representing Ika North East State Constituency, Hon Emeka Elekwekwuri.

The Bill was also read for the first time on the floor of the House for the law for the establishment of the University of Science and Technology, Ozoro was also moved by the Deputy Majority Leader, Hon Kenneth Oboro Preyor and seconded by the member representing Ethiope West State Constituency, Hon Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu.

The three bills will go through second reading on Tuesday, February 2, 2021.