Former NCCE boss wants FCE, Zaria upgraded to Federal Teachers University
By Mustapha Yauri
Zaria (Kaduna State), March 7, 2020 (NAN) Prof. Peter Lassa, first Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), has advocated the upgrading of the Federal College of Education, Zaria and two similar colleges, to Federal Teachers Universities.
Lassa, who made the appeal while speaking on behalf of the recipients of award of excellence offered by the Federal College of Education, Zaria said that the step would boost basic education in the country.
The awards were offered to the recipients during the third combined convocation ceremony of the college and and celebration of its golden jubilee (1962-2012), on Saturday in Zaria.
According to him, other institutions to be upgraded to Federal Teachers Universities are the Alvan Ikoku College of Education Owerri, and Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.
Lassa said that the institutions were the pioneer colleges of education established by UNESCO in Nigeria.
He added that the institutions, when upgraded, should be strictly teachers universities with only people with interest and desire for teaching admitted into them.
He urged governments at all levels to prioritise education and advocated for a bursary award and other incentives to students of education as part of measures to bridge teacher-student gap in the
country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that other recipients of the award of excellence included Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Sen. Ahmad Makarfi, former Kaduna governor.
Earlier, the Provost of the College, Dr Abdullahi Ladan, had said that the convocation ceremony was for 2006 to 2019 graduands of the National Certificate of Education and Professional Diploma in Education programmes.
He said that the college runs 19 degree programmes in affiliation with Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.
He added that more degree programmes were underway as a Memorandum of Understanding would soon be reached with Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto.
Similarly, the visitor to the college and Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, in his remarks, restated the commitment of government toward ensuring that education occupied its pride of place as a vital sector of human development.
Represented by Mr Joel Ojo, Director, Tertiary Institutions, the minister said that the ministry was committed to eradicating extortion, malpractices, and flagrant abuse of relationship between staff and students, among other unethical practices in tertiary institutions. (NAN)
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