The 115 Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) in the country are to be unbundled into basic and secondary schools, the federal government has said.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu who made this known at the opening of the Annual General Meeting of Principals of Unity Colleges in Abuja on Tuesday (today, September 17), explained that unbundling Federal Unity Colleges would, among other things, attract more funding to improve infrastructure, address teachers’ welfare and create employment opportunities.
Speaking at the event with the theme: “Entrepreneurship Education: A Panacea for Self Reliance and National Development,” Sununu said the plan to unbundle the unity colleges is in line with the National Policy on Education (NPE).
The Minister added that the Ministry, with support from relevant agencies of government, would ensure that the exercise is successfully carried out within the shortest possible time.
“I want to emphasise the significance of fostering an entrepreneurial spirit in our youths, a spirit that will propel them toward self- reliance and contribute meaningfully to our nation’s development.
“Unemployment remains a pressing concern, and it is our collective responsibility to equip our students with the skills and mindset necessary to succeed.
“Entrepreneurship education offers a solution to this challenge as it prepares students to think creatively, innovatively, and develop the confidence to take calculated risks,” he said.
Sununu called for the collaboration of the Principals as critical stakeholders to improve the educational landscape of the schools, urging them to curb social vices, instil the maintenance culture in the students and co-operate with their host communities for the overall security and growth of the Colleges.
Also, the Chairperson, Principals of Federal Unity Schools Colleges, Dr Idowu Akinbamijo said the meeting was to set the agenda for the coming year and build capacity for the task ahead.
