President of the 9th Senate and lawmaker representing Yobe North Senatorial District, Senator Ahmad Lawan, on Saturday, handed over the Federal Science and Technical College, Gashua, to the Yobe State Government.
Lawan facilitated the establishment and construction of the college while in office as Senate President between 2019 and 2023.
The Yobe state government is in turn expected to hand over the institution to the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Education.
The Federal Science and Technical College, Gashua, has several ultra-modern facilities to provide students, teachers and administrative staff with the required learning and work environment.
Among the facilities provided are: an Administrative block, staff offices, two blocks of offices, a library, 500-capacity auditorium, laboratory complex, a clinic, 5 blocks of female hostels, 5 blocks of male hostels, sports complex with offices, 3 twin-blocks of classes, 1 block of classes, workshop complex, ICT centre, 7 solar-powered boreholes, gate house and perimeter fencing.
The handover ceremony was attended by the Deputy Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Yau Usman Dachia, some members of the Yobe State Assembly, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Basic and Primary Education, Hamisu Alhaji, State Executive members of the All Progressives Congress, Special Advisers to the State Governor, Local Government Chairmen, amongst others.
Senator Lawan, in his remarks, said that the Federal Science and Technical College, Gashua, is a landmark institution that will provide limitless opportunities in the coming years for youths across the country.
He disclosed that the FSTC was among the sixteen technical colleges approved by the Federal Ministry of Education last year.
Lawan said, “For today’s event, we are witnessing a landmark development in this part of Nigeria.
“We are gathered here for the official handing over of the newly constructed and established Federal Science and Technical College, Gashua.
“It is a Federal Government educational institution, approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Education, last year, and constructed by various institutions of the Federal Government and the North East Development Commission (NEDC).
“Today, we are here today because this institution is ready to enroll its first set of students and then resume academic activities by the grace of God, hopefully, this year.
“We consider this as a very important development for us because it is going to provide limitless opportunities for our youths who will be educated here for many years to come.”
He also thanked the Emir of Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Suleiman, for providing the land upon which the institution was built.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry for Basic and Primary Education, Hamisu Alhaji, who represented the Honourable Commissioner, showered Senator Lawan with praises for his commitment to the development of education in Yobe State.
He called on the Federal Ministry of Education to ensure the immediate take-off of the college in the 2023/2024 academic session.
“The establishment of this school is a major milestone in the development of science and technology in Yobe State.
“This giant stride by Distinguished Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, did not come as a surprise considering his numerous development projects in the state and country at large.
“This will complement the effort of His Excellency, the Executive Governor, not only in the area of science and technology education, but the development of education in the state in general,” Hamisu Alhaji said.
The Permanent Secretary said that over the years, the Yobe State government through the Science and Technical Schools Board, spent millions of naira every term on transportation of students to Federal Science and Technical Colleges across the country, such as FSTC Orozo, Shiroro, Jalingo, Otukpo, Daya, amongst others.
He added that the establishment of the FSTC in Gashua, will increase the chances of Yobe students to study science and technology courses, to enable them measure up with global world.
