The House of Representatives has passed a bill seeking to establish a Federal Polytechnic in Tombia, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, during the plenary on Wednesday.
In the general principles of the bill, the sponsor, Farah Dagogo representing Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives said the Polytechnic would concentrate on training and retraining of students in areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) to support the technological growth of the country.
The lawmaker said the bill if passed into law would be the first in the country to concentrate purely on technology development through the relevant courses.
He said: “A bill for the Establishment of Federal Polytechnic, Tombia for the training of graduates in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics (STEAM) and for related matters (HB. 1333).
“When passed into law, the Federal Polytechnic, Tombia, is expected to be the pioneer tertiary institution in the country that focuses on STEAM.”
He urged lawmakers to support the bill, stressing that the proposed Polytechnic will be tailored towards achieving the STEAM model of education.
The lawmaker explained that other countries were on the fast lane of technology and engineering development, arguing that STEAM education will benefit the students to graduate with a set of well-rounded skills.
“Today, STEAM education is all about preparing our future leaders for a digital age and understanding the new world around them.
“Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, may I use this medium to submit that if you are looking for an area of study that will prepare you for a successful career, consider entering into the STEAM field, because it is the future of every nation.
“The imperatives of STEAM education cannot be underestimated, because it equips students with competencies that will enable them to overcome personal challenges, pursue careers in technical fields such as software engineering or artificial intelligence, find creative solutions to difficult problems, and understand how the world works.”
After contributions by some members in support of the bill, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila remarked that technological education would create a critical mass of self-employment and promised that the bill will be passed.
After passing the bill for the second reading in a voice vote, he referred it to the House Committee on Tertiary Education for public hearing.
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