Funmi Ogundare
The Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, recently unveiled a comprehensive reform agenda for the institution’s staff schools, focusing on strategic planning, academic excellence, staff welfare, and institutional sustainability over the next five years.
Abdul, who disclosed this while declaring open the 2026 retreat programme of the YABATECH staff schools held in Ogun State, described the retreat as a critical step towards repositioning the primary and secondary schools for long-term growth and competitiveness.
The retreat, themed ‘Yaba College of Technology Staff Schools: Prospects, Growth and Academic Excellence’, brought together members of the board of governors, administrators and staff to develop a five-year strategic plan expected to guide the schools’ operations between 2026 and 2030.
Abdul stressed that the staff schools remain an integral part of the YABATECH ecosystem, serving as the first point of engagement for many young learners with the institution’s brand.
According to him, the quality of education provided by the schools is therefore a major institutional priority.
“This retreat is not just about discussions; it is about making decisions that will define the trajectory of our staff schools over the next five years. We must think boldly, plan practically, and commit to implementation,” he stated.
He identified the institution’s key reform priorities to include strengthening financial systems for sustainability, increasing student enrolment, improving internally generated revenue, and enhancing leadership and administrative efficiency.
The rector also underscored the importance of discipline, accountability and adherence to institutional policies in building a culture of excellence, adding that effective governance and quality leadership would drive the desired transformation.
He called for stakeholder synergy to ensure that institutional policies translate into measurable outcomes, noting that the retreat would provide participants with practical, achievable strategies for repositioning the schools within Nigeria’s competitive education sector.
Over the course of the retreat, participants engaged in sessions on school finance and sustainable growth, leadership and conflict management, and aligning institutional goals with operational realities.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Board of Governors, Dr Abiodun Waidi Ashiru, described the retreat as a deliberate move to institutionalise forward-looking policies that recognise staff as key stakeholders in the education system.
He noted that changing global education standards require continuous capacity-building, digital adaptation, and supportive work environments for teachers and administrators.
“Strategic planning must reflect the realities of those who implement it. Our teachers and school leaders require not just direction, but support systems, clear policies, and opportunities for professional advancement,” he said.
The retreat also featured policy-driven discussions on leadership accountability, performance evaluation systems, staff retention, motivation, and welfare.
Participants developed frameworks addressing staff training and retraining, performance-based evaluation systems, and measurable Key Performance Indicators linked to institutional goals and staff development.
Stakeholders at the event agreed that staff welfare should extend beyond remuneration to include continuous professional development, inclusive decision-making, improved communication channels, and conducive working conditions.
They expressed optimism that the resolutions reached at the retreat would usher in a new era of innovation, resilience, and academic excellence for the staff schools, while strengthening their competitiveness and alignment with global best practices in education.
