The Senate has passed for second reading, the  bill for an act to amend the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Act, to remove the restrictive term “Technology” from its name and status, thereby converting it from a specialised university of technology to a conventional university.

The intent as stated in the bill will empower the citadel of learning to offer a full range of academic disciplines in the sciences, humanities, law and medical fields.

In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, Senator Shehu  Umar ( Bauchi South)  said Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, was established in 1980 as one of the pioneer universities of technology  to promote technical and engineering education.

He said however that over the decades, the university has evolved and diversified its academic portfolio, running degree programmes in agriculture, education, management sciences, and environmental design, among others but  its enabling law still restricts it to the narrow legal status of a “University of Technology” creating inconsistencies between the law and the institution’s academic practice.

He said: “The objects of this amendment are to make it a conventional university, empower the university to offer courses and conduct research in all academic disciplines, ensure equity and parity with other federal universities operating under similar conditions, enhance collaboration, accreditation, and international recognition for the institution and expand access to higher education in the North-east zone and Nigeria at large.