The Rector and Chief Executive of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Dr Danjuma Adamu Ismaila, has identified inadequate funding as one of the major challenges facing the institution.
Dr Danjuma made this known while addressing journalists in Zaria as part of activities marking his one year in office.
Despite the funding constraints, the rector said the management had recorded significant achievements, including the rehabilitation and upgrade of dilapidated student hostels to acceptable standards.
He disclosed that the college has been listed among beneficiary institutions of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), a development he said would further enhance infrastructure and academic activities.
Dr Danjuma noted that with the support of the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the National Assembly, the institution has continued to maintain international standards and remain competitive globally.
According to him, NCAT remains Nigeria’s foremost aviation training institution and continues to play a strategic role in providing specialised aviation training services.
The rector added that the college has the capacity to accommodate trainees from outside Nigeria, revealing that more than 100 participants from various African countries have so far undergone training at the institution.
He further disclosed that the college had secured additional international accreditations and successfully renewed certifications from key global aviation bodies, including the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), while also obtaining further accreditation from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Dr Danjuma said he inherited a system that required extensive reforms, adding that the institution currently runs about 200 courses in different areas of aviation training.
He, however, expressed concern over the increasing rate of staff attrition, noting that many skilled personnel are leaving the college for private organisations in search of better remuneration.
The rector reaffirmed the management’s commitment to sustaining reforms and strengthening the institution’s capacity to remain a leading aviation training centre in Africa.
Jibirin Zaria
