Senator Teslim Folarin’s bill seeking to upgrade the Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo to Federal University (Special) Oyo has passed second reading in the Nigerian Senate on Thursday.
The Oyo Central senator read the bill for the second time in the Senate Chamber.
SPED, as the institution is popularly known, was established on 5 October 1977 as Federal Advanced Teacher’s college (Special). The institution, according to a UNDP/UNESCO1996 report (NIR/87/008) “…has the best qualified Staff in Special Education not only in Nigeria but in West, North, East and Central Africa.”
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The College is the only one of its kind in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. It has the largest conglomeration of students with disabilities that could be found in any higher institution in Nigeria and the largest concentration of specialized facilities for teaching and training of teachers of the students with disabilities in Nigeria.
The three-term senator while leading the debate, pointed out that the establishment of the Federal University of Special Needs Education Oyo will provide training and teaching instruction in every aspect of special needs education and such other fields of applied learning leading to award of degree and relevant to the needs of the development of education in Nigeria,
Senator Ajayi Borrofice of Ondo North Senatorial District seconded the motion for consideration of the bill.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu representing Lagos Central while contributing to the debate, said the upgrading of the Federal College of Education (Special) Oyo to Federal University (Special) Oyo will go a long way to prepare the next generation of Nigeria.
