Lagos Assembly debates establishing Universities of Education, Science and Technology

In its bid to further promote education in the metropolitan state, the Lagos House of Assembly on Monday debated the two bills that proposed the establishment of a university of Education and that of Science and Technology in the state.

The bills, which scaled through the second reading on Thursday were committed into the House Committee on Education (Tertiary), which was asked to report back to the House in two weeks.

The debates of the bills were coordinated by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

While debating the bill for a law to provide for the establishment of the University of Education, Lagos (UNEDLAG) at plenary, Hon. Bisi Yusuff (Alimosho 1) said that the establishment of the university and that it was important that there should be pre-degree programmes, which he said is very important in the bill, saying that this will absorb candidates seeking admission.

He stressed that there was a provision in the bill that will make the university to be self-independent. “The inclusion of Vocational training will also make the students be self-employed,” he added.

Hon. Sani Okanlawon, in his contribution, opined that Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education and Michael Otedola College of Education should be upgraded into a university.

“The society has rejected NCE and what is the benefit of going to a school that your certificate will not be recognized.

“Admission into this school is the lowest as only 18 applicants chose (ACCOED) as the first choice in the last Universal Tertiary Matriculations Examinations (UTME)., With the creation of this varsity, it will reduce the number of applicants to going to LASU”, he said.

In his contributions, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2) who agreed with his colleagues on the need to upgrade the two colleges of education in the State to a university said that NCE is no longer popular, saying that the establishment of the university is timely.

According to him, I will like to mention that this bill should not be looked into in isolation but should apply the law that established LASU into it. There is a need to have a template to form the institution in order to avoid overlap.

In the same vein, Hon. David Setonji said that the State was overdue for another university and that the State had a high number of primary and secondary schools with fewer teachers, and that the university would come to the rescue.

Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade (Ikorodu 1) who expressed optimism about the university, told his colleagues that he was a product of ACCOED and that afterwards taught for 5years. “The creation of a new varsity is a good thing. This bill takes care of the welfare of both lecturers and students”, he added.

Hon. Abiodun Tobun (Epe 2) maintained that this is one of the good things that government could do for Lagosians. If this bill is passed into law, the university will shun out good teachers.

Also commenting on the proposed University of Science and Technology, the lawmakers expressed optimism that it would help provide manpower for the development of the state.

In his contributions, Hon. Rauf Age-Sulaimon (Amuwo Odofin 2) suggested that humanity courses and legal studies should not be included in the school’s curriculum as a university of science and technology.

Also speaking, Hon. Femi Saheed (Kosofe 2) stated that science and technology play a vital role in development, while Hon. Bisi Yussuf (Alimosho 1) urged that the studies to be offered in the university should consider the culture of the people.

Yusuff also advised that the university should go into researches on agriculture to reduce the high cost of food in the state and in the country.

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