THE Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Academy in Udi, Enugu State, has been affiliated to the Federal University of Technology, Owerri to award post-graduate diploma and masters in road safety, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, has said.

This, according to Oyeyemi is part of efforts to upgrade the Academy to a degree awarding institution.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday during a visit to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, the Corps Marshal disclosed that the management of FUTO had already developed a syllabus for road safety which has been approved by its senate.

He said the FRSC was directed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to the University for affiliation because the university offers Transport Management Technology besides Sociology and Psychology.

“We have met with the Executive Secretary of NUC, who referred us to the Federal University of Technology, Owerri to be affiliated to it.

So that we can start with affiliation status, that’s actually what the law requires to be awarding post-graduate diplomas and masters in road safety and related courses. It’s a synergy between the FRSC and the university and the university has already worked out the syllabus. The University’s Senate has already approved it.”

The FRSC Academy is the first and only road safety academy in Africa where road safety officers are trained and would also be the first-degree awarding institution in the same discipline when the NUC finally approves it. There is also FRSC Training School in Plateau State.

The academy has been in existence since 1988 when the FRSC was established.

“These schools have been in existence since the establishment of the Corps. We want to upgrade these institutions to degree awarding institutions. These schools are being funded already by the Federal Government, so it’s not a new project. We want to upgrade their status,” he said

Speaking during the meeting, Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu expressed delight at the planned upgrading of FRSC Academy to a degree awarding university.

He assured the Corps Marshall of the support of his ministry towards the actualization of the plan.