FSTC, Yaba needs classrooms, hostel facilities

For the umpteenth time, authorities of the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Yaba, Lagos State, have decried the lack of adequate learning infrastructure needed to accommodate the teeming rising number of students admitted into it.

Consequently, principal of the college, Rev. Chris Ugorji, has appealed to public-spirited individuals, including its ex-students to help construct new learning facilities, especially hostels and classrooms for the 67 year-old institution.

He is also making a case for increased budgetary provision for the institution saying, “We are the biggest in terms of population in all the unity colleges in the country. Presently, we are battling with inadequate hostel accommodation, classrooms, staff quarters and other facilities needed for 21st century learning.

Ordinarily all students especially the Junior Secondary School One and the Senior Secondary School Three students should be resident in the school, but we don’t have enough facilities to accommodate them. Many parents who choose this college did not know we are having a challenge in that area.
“And that is the reason we clearly asked them not to pay for hostel accommodation in the admission letter pending when they were given one. Now we have done the first phase of the interview and offered accommodation to those shortlisted. But in this second phase 350 students applied and from the facilities on ground less than 100 would be accommodated.”

He continued, “I know it would be overwhelming for many parents, but this is the situation we have found ourselves. Last year, I had to convert some classrooms to hostel, but this time, we do not even have enough classrooms and furniture. So the issue of conversion is out of the question.”

On why the school admitted so much students when it lacks adequate facilities to cater for them, he said, “admission in federal government colleges is based on three criteria. The national merit list; the state quota and what we call ‘exingencies’.
“Based on our already over-stretched facilities, it was tough to accommodate the first two groups and even the third with admission demands coming from higher authorities, including our staff, partners and from other relevant quarters. So these are some of the issues. And some of these parents would not like to send their wards to other unity colleges outside of Lagos state.”

He expressed dissatisfaction with the fracas rocking the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA), which has delayed the completion of the 1,000-bedspace female hostel project it embarked on.

Treasurer of the PTA, Sanusi Mudashiru, in his remarks regretted that the issue has foot dragged due to mischievous activities of the other PTA faction, adding that soon it would be resolved.
“By the time we finish the project which is barely one-year, the issue of accommodation in FSTC would be history.”