Minister Opposes Plan to Set Up Skills College in Borno

The Education Minister, Tunji Alausa, has opposed a proposal to establish a federal college for entrepreneurship and skills training in Borno state.

This happened during a public hearing held by the House of Representatives committee on federal polytechnics and higher technical education.

On Thursday, Alausa shared his position through a written submission presented at the hearing.

He advised lawmakers to focus on supporting and funding existing federal institutions instead of creating new ones.

According to him, the limited funds available should be used to improve colleges that have already been set up but are not yet fully functioning.

He reminded the lawmakers that the federal government follows a policy of fair distribution when it comes to siting institutions.

This rule ensures that every state gets at least one federal polytechnic, and no state should have more than one at a time.

At the moment, only Sokoto state and the Federal Capital Territory are yet to benefit from this plan.

Alausa also mentioned that the government has made it easier for individuals and state governments to set up private tertiary institutions.

He said this should be seen as a chance to help grow the education sector in Nigeria, especially since federal resources are tight.

Because of the funding challenges, the ministry suggested that the idea of creating a new skills college in Borno should be put on hold.

The minister stressed that the best option now is to concentrate on ensuring that already approved institutions are properly funded and running smoothly.

Despite this, the sponsor of the bill, Usman Balami, said the college would help fight youth unemployment.

He argued that such a school would provide young people with hands-on training needed for self-employment and help them adjust to changes in the job market.

He added that the college would help students gain practical knowledge, not just theory.

Committee chairman Fuad Laguda also pointed out that if the bill becomes law, students in the proposed college will be able to study different courses, including technology, science, arts, and vocational education.