The Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, has disclosed the intention of the state government to upgrade Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo to a university of education.
This, according to the government, is part of the efforts to transform education in the state to global standard.
The commissioner made the declaration while addressing newsmen on Wednesday, March 17 after its seventh edition of the state executive council, which was held at the governor’s office.
He declared that the institution has the requisite human and material resources to fully transform into a full-fledged university.
He said, the institution has operated some affiliate degree programmes with other Nigerian universities over the years, adding that it has shown the capacity to be metamorphose into Emmanuel Alayande University of Technology, so as to provide mainly degree programmes in education.
According to him “The purpose of the upgrading is essentially to provide an improved standard of education in the state such that graduates from the institution will be able to deploy their expertise in further developing the standard of education in Oyo State.”
He noted that other federal colleges of education in the state such as the Federal College of Education in both Oyo and Lanlate would continue to provide their services for the teeming undergraduates of colleges of education after which they would be able to proceed to Emmanuel Alayande University of Education for their degrees.
He said all necessary procedures and protocols would be duly followed, while relevant agencies and stakeholders would also be consulted throughout the upgrading processes.
The commissioner averred that the present administration under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde is committed to one of the key pillars of this government, which is qualitative education and educational system.