By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

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In an effort to provide  qualitative education at the highest cadre of education, the Ekiti State government, has restated its commitment to  fund its tertiary institutions to be able to deliver on their mandates.

The government, said it can’t afford to toy with the tertiary education as  training grounds  for eggheads and drivers of the  economy, especially to protect and preserve the slogan  attached to Ekiti as the “Fountain of Knowledge”.

The Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, gave the assurance, on Thursday, while playing host to the Provost of the College of Health Sciences and Technology, Ijero Ekiti, Dr. Olajumoke Cecelia Adebayo and management team in  her office in Ado Ekiti.

Based on the Management’s demand that government should upgrade the College to a Polytechnic status to be able to access funds at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund), Mrs Afuye, insisted that the  arrangement must “fully comply with due process”.

Mrs Afuye, according to a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, advised the College to write a new brief as stipulated by law and convince the state government that such upgrading will revitalise the institution to offer qualitative education.

She said the state government is not averse to the upgrading of the institution, but insisted that such procedure would have to be properly channeled through legal path and due process to prevent infraction that may attract penalties from regulatory bodies. 

Mrs Afuye said; “Ekiti State Government has high regards for the College of Health Sciences and Technology owing to the fact that their graduates are performing exceptionally in their places of work. We gave so many proofs to substantiate this fact.

“But regarding upgrading of the College to a higher pedestal, the government understand the ways of putting it to the leadership of the House of Assembly to pass the law  to effect this, but there must be verifiable evidence to convince the government that such will be in the best interest of the College .

“I will advise that you write a new brief on why the College should be upgraded to a polytechnic. Let us know the benefits in the areas of infrastructure and funding, since its elevation won’t cost the state any financial burden.