The Benue State Science and Technical Education Board has said it would require about N150million for the accreditation of courses offered by ten state-own technical and science colleges with the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
The Secretary of STEB, Mr. Adzenda Ikegh, disclosed this in a chat with our correspondent in Makurdi, the state capital.
Ikegh lamented that the lack of funds required to execute the project had incapacitated the board, urging Governor Samuel Ortom to come to the aid of STEB.
He explained that lack of accreditation and inadequate personnel to handle relevant areas had been causing the board a serious setback in its quest to offer research and further studies in technical/vocational education and related fields in the state.
The STEB secretary expressed dismay that series of efforts made by the board through the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Dennis Tyavyar, to liaise with state government in order to get the funds for the board had been fruitless.
According to him, “These non-accreditation of the present ten technical and science schools we have in the state has posed a serious threat and danger to the future of our children offering science education in the state.”
He said it had become imperative for the state government to address the problem and hasten action on the matter with view to encouraging those willing to further their education in sciences in the state.
The secretary further noted that for the state to function adequately in science and technical education, the establishment of more science technical schools across the three senatorial districts in the state should be given a priority attention.
“I’ m of the view that since the state comprises three zones, at least, additional 50 schools of this nature is required for each zone so as to make learning a lot
more accessible to the people” he said.
