Constitutional steps to change Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, to a university of technology and vocational studies are now on before the Senate, where the bill to effect that has scaled through the second reading.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, APC, Kano North, who presided at Tuesday’s plenary session, subsequently referred the bill to the Committee on Tertiary Education and TETFUND for further legislative action and report back in four weeks.
The bill is titled,” A Bill for an Act to provide for the Establishment of the Yaba Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies Yaba, Lagos State and to make comprehensive provisions for its due management and administration and for other related matters, 2025 (SB. 738).
The Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, APC, Ekiti Central, said that the Bill essentially seeks to transform and upgrade YABATECH to Yaba Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies Yaba, Lagos State which has already been done via a presidential fiat.
“This Bill seeks to establish Yaba Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies Yaba, Lagos State. The Bill was read the first time in this Hallowed Chamber on Tuesday, 11th March, 2025.
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“The Bill essentially seeks to transform and upgrade the Yaba Polytechnic to Yaba Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies Yaba, Lagos State which has already been done via a presidential fiat.
“Nigeria’s steady march towards education for all in the shortest possible time has taken a giant leap with the introduction of this Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of this University.
“I am personally excited by the prospect of transforming this Polytechnic to a University of Technology and Vocational Studies as it will motivate both students and academic staff, just as it will upgrade its facilities and enhance its capability to achieve its objectives.”
Similarly, The New University will encourage the advancement of learning and hold out to all persons without distinction of race, creed, sex or political conviction the opportunity of acquiring a higher and liberal education.
It will also do the following: provide courses of instruction and other facilities for the pursuit of learning in all its branches, and to make those facilities available on proper terms to such persons as are equipped to benefit from them; encourage and promote scholarship and conduct research in all fields of learning with emphasis on technical education.
“If Nigeria as planned should aim to become one of the world’s twenty leading economies of the world in this 215t century, we must be ready to adjust and position our educational institutions so that its products are geared towards technological challenges inherent in such projections. Our educational authorities are moving to revamp our institutions for these objectives.
“Yaba Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies, when enacted by the National Assembly will have power to establish such campuses, colleges, faculties, institutes, schools, extra-mural departments and other teaching and research units within the University as may from time to time seem necessary or desirable subject to the approval of the National Universities Commission.
“To ensure continuity in the administration of the university, all property held by or on behalf of the Yaba Polytechnic shall be vested in the University and be held by it for the purposes of the University. Notably, all staff of the Polytechnic are hereby transferred to the University and previous service in the Polytechnic shall count as service for the purposes of any pension payable by the University.
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“The institution is prepared to undertake the educational and other modifications that are a natural corollary of transforming to a university. The institution is also prepared to remains true to its core mandate of producing well-trained manpower capable of driving the technological, management and business goals of the nation.
“In this regard, it will seek to emulate the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) which has built upon a tradition of distinction to become one of the world’s foremost educational institutions.
” Iam fully satisfied that the provisions in this Bill are adequate to ensure the takeoff of the proposed University and I will not hesitate to encourage my colleagues to support it at all stages of its journey to becoming a law of the Federation of Nigeria.”
By Alade Adisa
