The Federal Colleges of Agriculture have appealed to the Federal Government to include them in the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) scheme for the rapid development of the institutions in the country.
The Registrar, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Mr Olufemi Owolabi, made the appeal in Akure.
Owolabi described the college as a monotechnic, saying it has become necessary for the government to capture colleges of agriculture in the scheme to function well in facilities and development.
According to him, the colleges are doing things from the meagre funds given to them as subvention, adding that they were not being adequately funded as they are yet to develop like other institutions.
‘We have been praying that government should do something because if you look around, there is not enough facilities and development.
“As a monotechnic institution, we are not captured in the TETFund scheme which would have helped us a lot, because we also do vocational training for farmers in the state,” he said.
Owolabi said over the years, the colleged faced encroachment by land grabbers and called on government to adequately fund the institution to achieve its mandate and assist in boosting food security in its host state and county at large.
The registrar said to maintain academic excellence in the institution, the authorities recently suspended and expelled 19 students.
He explained that the action followed the outcome of the report of the student’s displinary committee which indicted the students of examination malpractice and other vices.
Owolabi, who said that the college followed the students handbook and meted out appropriate sanctions including suspension and expulsion.
He said that the college had not experienced any issue of cultism since its establishment in 1957.
The registrar further said that the disciplinary measures against erring students was regular to serve as deterrents and prevent social vices and infractions.
Owolabi said that the students population had increased from 300 when it got autonomy in 1991 from University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, to over 900.
