FG okays N500m each for four new varsities

The Federal Government has approved N500m as administrative and running costs for each of the four
Federal Colleges of Education upgraded to the status of universities of education.
The colleges of education are: Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo; Federal College of Education, Zaria; Federal College of Education, Kano; and Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri.
The Special Adviser, Media, to Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, the Minister of Education, Dr. Nnamdi Olebara, said this on Sunday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.
Olebara said Shekarau made the announcement when he met with the provosts and members of the governing councils of the new universities on May 23, in Abuja.
He said the minister assured the provosts and members of the governing councils that they would be retained.
Shekarau said the Federal Government had directed TETFund to disburse the approved sum to each of the institutions.
“The old laws establishing the colleges of education will be repealed in due course and the appropriate legislations will regularise the universities of education,” the minister said.
Shekarau said the ministry made concerted efforts to get the Federal Executive Council to approve the upgrading because of the need to promote teacher education.
He expressed optimism that the upgrade would attract more Nigerians into the teaching profession with a view to producing first class brains as teachers.
The minister said, “The National Universities Commission and the National Commission for Colleges of Education will supervise the transition of these institutions to their new status.
“The Federal Government will appoint chancellors and vice-chancellors for the new institutions.
“The provosts will become the deputy vice-chancellors in the interim as the Federal Government has directed that no vice-chancellor will serve in his or her zone of origin.”
NAN recalled that the Federal Executive Council had on May 22 approved the upgrade of the four Federal colleges of education to universities of education.