Governor Agbu Kefas has approved eight infrastructural projects in the Taraba State College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Jalingo.
The Rector of the college, Dr Yakubu Garjila, disclosed this on Wednesday in Jalingo while hosting a team from the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) on accreditation of courses in the college.
Garjila described the governor’s gesture as unprecedented.
He listed the projects to include, male and female hostels, street lights, an administrative block, college clinic, twin lecture theatres, construction of modern college gate and road network.
The rector, while welcoming the team, stressed the crucial role of the accreditation process in maintaining quality assurance, and ensuring that the college offered programmes that met national and international standards.
“For us as an institution, we need to know where to improve because nobody can escape an audit of this kind; we look forward to your constructive criticisms even as I hope that you enjoy your stay here with us,” he said.
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In his remark, leader of the team, Dr Rufai Ibrahim, advised the rector to monitor the execution of the projects and report any infractions to the governor.
Ibrahim commended Kefas for the tremendous infrastructural boost for the college.
He said that the essence of the accreditation was to ensure quality assurance, adding that the team was carefully selected to carry out the exercise with efficiency.
On his part, Zonal Director North East, NBTE, Dr Abdurahman Alfa, assured the college of smooth transition from a state college of agriculture to the college of agriculture science and technology.
Alfa said that the transition would allow the college to access TETFUND projects and programmes.
According to him, institutions that are on TETFUND list are faring better in training and facilities.
The courses to be accredited include National Diploma (ND)/ Higher National Diploma (HND) in Agriculture Technology, and ND/HND Forestry Technology.
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Others are ND/HND Home and Rural Economics, ND Animal Health and Production Technology, HND Animal Health Technology HND Animal Production Technology and HND Crop Production Technology.
Also, on the list of are HND Agriculture Extension and Management, ND Agriculture and Bio-environmental Engineering Technology, HND Agriculture and Bio-environmental Engineering Tech (Farm Power Option).
HND Agriculture and Bio-environmental Engineering Tech (soil and water Option), Institutional Administration and ND Fishers Technology are among the courses to be accredited.
The college was established in 1979 in the defunct Gongola.
NAN
