ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has announced a significant investment in research funding for state-owned tertiary institutions, set to commence next year.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy to prioritize experiential learning and overhaul the education system in the state.
Speaking during the 20th Convocation Ceremony of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) in Agbani, where 8,437 graduates, including nine First Class honorees, were celebrated, Governor Mbah outlined his vision for advancing education in Enugu.
“Earlier today, I had the pleasure of joining the 20th Convocation Ceremony of ESUT at Agbani, where we celebrated the remarkable achievements of 8,437 graduates, including nine outstanding First Class students,” he noted in a message shared on social media.
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The governor emphasized the transformative role of universities in driving technological advancement.
Reflecting on his visit to an exhibition at the convocation showcasing diverse innovations, from biotechnology to pharmacology, Mbah reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to aligning education with technological progress.
“Universities are meant to spur technological advancement. It is in line with this philosophy that I announced a new policy requiring all state-owned tertiary institutions in Enugu State to henceforth deliver Experiential Learning to our students. This change will reflect in planning, budget, curriculum reform, assessment, and promotions, as well as research,” he said.
Governor Mbah disclosed that the state government would allocate substantial funds for research purposes beginning next year. “We are also committing substantial funds for research purposes next year. These would be made available to state-owned tertiary institutions.”
To address infrastructure challenges, particularly at ESUT, he highlighted the allocation of over N1.6 billion for structural expansion to ease space constraints at the Park Lane campus.
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Additionally, hundreds of millions of naira have been directed toward several projects, including: Setting up a multi-purpose laboratory at the College of Medicine, water reticulation at the College of Medicine, rehabilitation of the Anatomy building at the College of Medicine.
Others are procuring equipment for the re-accreditation of Nursing Sciences, Pharmacy, and Medical Laboratory Sciences, and lrocuring equipment for resource verification of Public Health, Radiography, Human Nutrition and Dietetics, and Biomedical Engineering programs.
“These interventions represent a major effort to transform ESUT and the entire education sector in the state,” Mbah added.
The governor also announced plans to establish a Centre for Experiential Learning at ESUT. “It would be an experiential hub where professors will be wholly immersed in Experiential Learning, which would be passed on to their students,” he explained.