President Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of the Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech), Lagos State, to a university.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa disclosed this while speaking during a working visit to the institution on Friday.
Alausa disclosed that Tinubu was not hesitant to approve the proposal to convert the institution into a university. He added that he only awaited the official correspondence and ‘other necessary protocols from the appropriate quarters’.
The Minister said YABATECH was a legacy school fit for conversion because it had over 200 staff members holding doctorates in various fields.
He said, “The rector said some minutes ago that the staff, students, and management of the college had been praying and fasting that it be converted to a university. Somehow, you have kind of ambushed me.
“All the credit about this should go to the president, who loves education and is concerned about giving the best to the youths who are our future leaders.”
Speaking at the minister’s visit, the Rector, Dr Ibrahim Abdul, noted that the school had the manpower to carry out the responsibilities of a university, seeking the Federal Government’s support.
He said, “While we are praying that we become a university, we don’t want to become just one of those universities. We want to be a university of technical and vocational education that will bring innovation and also solve societal problems and challenges and contribute greatly to the advancement of our dear country.”
