Barely two years in office as the provost of the Federal College of Education (FCE), Umar Hassan says that the institution has witnessed a serious turn around in infrastructural development.
Addressing journalists at the school complex in Okene, Hassan gave his score card, reeling out unprecedented achievements the institution has witnessed since he took over the mantle of leadership precisely on 26 September 2017, when President Muhammadu Buhari approved his appointment.
“I met a College with great potentialities and with the burning desires to move to the next level of growth and development. As it is often said, government is a continuum, therefore, we set in motion necessary machinery to address all the lingering challenges we met on ground which are mainly financial and of course, academic-related. We inherited huge liabilities of promotion arrears for 2015 and 2016 which were as a result of short falls in personnel cost,” Hassan said.
Academic growth and development
Hassan also stated that the meagre resources the college had when he came on board did not dwarf his decision to take the college to the next level, adding that programmes were introduced and at the same time accredited. He said that the determination to attain the set noble vision and mission of the College and to key into NCCE Reforms and in consonance with societal demands were his driving force.
“In spite of the lean resources at the disposal of the College, critical policy decisions have been taken to stabilise the system with quick interventions in academic programmes. These include the organising of resource visit for the newly introduced programmes of History, Geography, Economics and Adult and Non-Formal Education, which consequently led to the accreditation of the latter. We also created the Political Science Department as part of our determination to attain the set noble vision and mission of the College and to key into NCCE Reforms and in consonance with societal demands,” he said.
According to him, “The establishment of two new Schools:The School of Adult and Non-Formal Education and the School of Early Childhood Care and Primary Education, Adult Education and Special Education is going to be added to this programme. Presently,Adult Education has 252 students and we have to limit it due to some constraints.I take this very precious to my heart.
“Furthermore, we created additional academic directorates and restructured the existing ones for greater efficiency and service delivery.Similarly, our genuine efforts to moving the College to the next level of growth and development in research and academic development has continued to yield fruits, with growing opportunities, such as in manuscript development intervention, which hitherto could not be accessed since 2012. This has been however, made possible by our tenacity in imbibing due process, ensuring transparency and accountability in our engagements with Tetfund. We have also been able to access interventions in the following areas: Academic Manuscripts/book publication 2012/2016, Research projects Intervention 2012/2016 and, Academic Manuscripts/book Publication 2016/2018.”
Efforts at maintaining peace
Hassan said that the administration has in the last two years driven its policy trust on honesty, transparency, accountability and in compliance with the rule of law. “We have also ensured open-door policy, staff inclusiveness and regular consultation with all stakeholders and unions on policy formulation and implementation processes. Our administrative machinery is driven by the Committee system, as most staff are opportune to serve on one Committee or the other,” he said.
Infrastructural development
The administration, he said, met some ongoing Tetfund projects and knowing full well that new projects cannot be accessed without the completion of the on-going ones; it became expedient to mobilise the contractors to site to ensure immediate completion of the projects. These projects were the ICT complex met at 60percent completion, but now completed; School of Vocational Education lecturers’ building at 70percent completion also now completed and the Gymnasium at 60percent completion then, now completed.
Consequently, despite the critical conditions attached, the new administration has been able to attract the following Tetfund projects to the College: Construction of one storey building complex for Early Childhood Care, Primary, Adult and Non-Formal Education, with external works – ongoing 70percent completion; Construction of Twin-200 Seater Auditorium with external works – ongoing 70percent completion Construction of one storey building block of 8 (eight) classroom complex – ongoing 70percent completion.
Construction of one storey building for School of Languages Lecturer’s Office complex – ongoing 70percent completion; construction of 2 VIP toilets with borehole facilities (students’ integrity project) completed.
“Remarkably too, we have attracted two major Capital Projects to the College, which are currently on going. These are: Construction of Administrative building; This project when completed is expected to bring to an end the lingering problem of acute office accommodation confronting our non-teaching staff, especially, the Administrative Officers and also enhance their productive capacities in service delivery.
“Construction of Hostel block for female students.
It may interest you to know that this administration had also taken some bold initiatives to attract other projects to the College through other organisations of government, corporate agencies and individuals, rather than the usual Tetfund interventions
“These project interventions include: erection of 45 (forty-five) solar-powered street lights.
Drilling of 2 (two) solar-powered boreholes and accessories, one each in male and female hostels. Drilling of one motorised borehole in the Staff Quarters. Asphalt overlay on about 1.2km stretch of road network. Donation of 3 (three) tricycle motor bike; two for transport and one for carrying loads.
“In addition, we have carried out the following rehabilitation projects: Rehabilitation of the Main Campus and Staff Quarters’overhead tanks, for the first time since installation several years back. Before now, both were in such dilapidated states that over 60percent water pumped and stored before discharge and distribution were lost,” he explained.
According to the provost, “De-silting of the College main drainage network has been done, which again was the first time since construction years ago. This has helped in the control of surface water run-off, which previously has caused the wasting off of the road network and erosion in some places. “Installation of solar panels/submersibles that supply water to surface reservoirs in the Main Campus and Staff Quarters. This has allowed for continues pumping to the reservoirs and also reduced tremendously the use of diesel fuel to power the boreholes.
“These initiatives have no doubt made considerable impact on the wellbeing of our students on campus and of course, our staff. Interestingly too, discussions are at advanced stage to benefit from Dangote Foundation for hostel construction and rehabilitation.”
Staff development
One of the cardinal focuses of the administration, he said, was staff development. He explained that “It is our conviction that our policy trust can only be efficiently and effectively delivered with a well trained and highly motivated work force. This explained why we attach utmost attention to the issue of staff welfare.
“As earlier highlighted, I assumed office at a critical period with growing demands but scarce resources. We inherited huge promotion arrears for 2015/2016 respectively. I am delighted to inform you that so far we have been able to clear 19 months of 2015 and 9 months from 2016 arrears. Remarkably too, 2018 promotion was effected and financially implemented. Similarly, as at December 2017, all salary arrears were cleared. It is also worthy of note that the contentious issues surrounding the payment of arrears of Peculiar Academic and Non-teaching allowances have been put to rest, as we have commenced implementation.
Furthermore, this administration has continued to give opportunities to staff to attend workshops and conferences for optimum productivity and self-realisation. Similarly, we have embarked on aggressive staff development programme, which gives adequate room and opportunities to more qualified members of staff to be sponsored for higher degrees, especially for Master’s and Doctorate degrees. Many of our staff have also continued to benefit for first degrees, and Higher National Diplomas. It is worthy of note that while the sponsorship of academic Staff is driven by Tetfund, the non-teaching staff are locally sponsored. Since the inception of this administration, a total of 123 staff have been sponsored for further studies. Forty-five (45)academic and 78 non-teaching staff. Furthermore, a total of 174 staff members have also enjoyed Tetfund-sponsored conferences and workshops.
“Other laudable initiatives are being explored to boost the morale and productive level of staff. As a responsive administration, our disposition to staff welfare issues shall continue to receive top priority. That is why issues of salaries and allowances of staff are given prompt attention as and when due.”
Students’ welfare
Hassan said: “Students’ welfare has remained a critical part of our development agenda. We have continued to ensure that the College environment is made conducive and well secured for teaching and learning. Provision of basic amenities such as water and electricity are never compromised. In addition, drugs and other medical facilities are provided to cater for health challenges of our students and staff.
The student-friendly policy of this administration has made it a matter of priority to open up the College and make education easily accessible to the students and prospective students alike by charging low fees. I wish to state here that Federal College of Education, Okene remains the cheapest in terms of fees, when compared to other sister Colleges in Nigeria.”
College-community relations
The administration has given special attention to College-Community Relation by enhancing programmes and priorities on Corporate Social Responsibility. The effort, according to the provost, has continued to yield positive results for the sustenance of peace and mutual co-existence with the College’s immediate community.
Challenges
“As earlier highlighted, our major constraint is funding, which of course is not limited to only our College. However, we have been very prudent with the available resources in running the College,” he said.
Victoria Nnakaike, Lokoja
