Rector seeks Fed. govt. subvention, duty waivers on spares for IAC

 

… college to increase fees, introduce Engineering, Cabin Crew courses

 

 

Posted by Sade Williams 

 

Rector, International Aviation College (IAC), Ilorin, Captain Yakubu Okatahi, has called on the Federal Government to support the institution with grant and  subventions in a bid to fully achieve its mandate of teaching and research.

 He made this call during an interview in his office in Ilorin, Kwara State, with aviation correspondents, who were in the college for a one-week training.

He also said the school is opened to investors who are willing to partner with it through the Public Private Partnership arrangement.

According to him, the Kwara State government has lived up to its expectations in funding the school but subvention and support from the federal government would go a long way in putting the institution in an international pedestal.

He noted that currently, facilities within the college need upgrade, with at least, three unserviceable trainer aircraft that would cost about N4.5 million to fix.

He is of the opinion that since the the school is training Nigerians who would eventually go back to impact to the community, the federal government needs to extend subventions which it gives to other institutions to it.

“The state government is trying its best, it is proactive and is keen on developing the school, salaries are paid as and when due, the state government released money for aircraft and parts purchase, fuel and upgrade of the college but it will be very good for federal government to help us , the waiver on spare parts should be extended to us, they should give us subvention yearly because we are training Nigerians”, he said.

Okatahi, who disclosed that the college would introduce Engineering and Cabin Crew courses in the new session to shore up its revenue, revealed plans to increase the school fees from N12.5 million to over N17 million for a full course.

“Yes, we need partners and investors, we need more funding, we source our forex from the third tier market, it’s been very expensive, all expenses here is based on dollar, therefore, it is reasonable for is to increase the fees. Each student pays N12K.5 million for a full course but we could go higher than N17.5 million, if colleges like the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) that get government subvention from various sources can increase fees to over N17 million, ours may be higher because we don’t get any assistance from the Federal government. In South Africa, it is about N28 million, excluding feeding and accommodation and in the United States, it is about $40,000”, he added.