The Senate has expressed its determination to support the current administration’s efforts in upgrading the standard of education in the country, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
This commitment was demonstrated through a bill for an Act to establish the Federal University of Education, Gumel, in Jigawa State.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Hussaini Babangida Uba, representing Jigawa North-West Senatorial District, has already passed its second reading.
Leading the debate on the bill, Senator Hussaini Babangida explained that the proposed legislation seeks to upgrade the existing Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel, to a Federal University of Education.
He said the goal is to align with President Tinubu’s vision of delivering a sound and robust educational system across Nigeria.
He argued that this is predicated on the availability of qualified and well-trained teachers to impart the required knowledge to students. Hence, there is a need for a strong educational system that will consistently produce well-qualified and professionally trained teachers, as is obtainable in other countries.
” This is the fundamental justification for the establishment of this specialized institution of higher learning: the Federal University of Education Gumel, Jigawa State”
Senator Babangida further said the objectives shall be to encourage the advancement of learning, develop and offer academic and professional programmes leading to the award of certificates, with emphasis on planning, developmental and adaptive skills in Education, technology, applied science, agriculture, commerce, arts, social science, humanities, management and allied professional disciplines;
He said this will produce socially mature Educational men and women with capabilities not to only understand Educational need of Nigeria as a nation, but also to exploit existing Educational infrastructure and improve on it to develop new ones,
The lawmaker argued that the enactment of this Bill will go a long way in transforming the decayed educational infrastructure in Nigeria and change the educational fortunes of the country for the better and also provide a balanced educational development in Jigawa State.
He, however, emphasized that the Bill has no financial implication on the Federal Government as the University will be acquiring the structures of the Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel and the State Government has already accepted to hand over the College of Education Gumel for the purpose of this University.
In a related development the senate also passed to second reading two other bills, which include the bill for an act to establish the Federal University of health sciences, Funtua in Katsina state sponsored by Senator Muntari Muhammad Dandutse representing Katsina South.
Also passed for second reading is a bill for an Act to regulate and formalize the employment of domestic workers, apprentices, interns, and other informal sector employees.
The bill also seeks to empower the National Directorate of Employment to issue licenses and monitor privately owned employment agencies in Nigeria and for other related matters.
It was sponsored by Senator Muhammad Sani Musa, representing Niger East.
Bashir M
