Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Federal Government has released N6.3 billion for Federal Polytechnic, Bali, Taraba State, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), to execute developmental projects that would enhance teaching and learning in the institution.
Aside physical infrastructures, the fund is expected to be used to sponsor research and human capital development programmes, with regard to the peculiarities of the institution.
Executive Secretary of TETFund, Dr. Abdullahi Bichi Baffa, who announced the development in a statement by his Director of Corporate Affairs and Public Relations, Ben Ebikwo, appealed to the school management to judiciously use the fund for the benefit of the institution.
However, Baffa, as part of his recent visit to the institution commissioned 22 other developmental projects that would consolidate the position of school as “Centre of Excellence”.
The statement listed some of the projects to include academic staff office block, lecture theatre, electrical/electronic and computer engineering complex, library complex, ICT centre annex and many more others.
He commended the management of the polytechnic for its foresight in providing not only the needed infrastructure and equipment for programmes already being offered, but those that are being anticipated.
Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Saidu Umaru, who confirmed the money, promised to channel it to physical infrastructure and procurement of academic facilities for science and engineering programmes.
He said that through TETFund intervention, the institution has been able to complete its self-study questionnaires for 11 National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes as required by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for resource inspection visitation.
“We have also improved our human resource capacities. 114 staff have attended various conferences and 40 other academic staff have completed Masters Degrees programmes. Nine are undergoing Masters studies and seven undergoing Ph. D programmes under TETFund programme,” he added.