The Federal Government says it is set to reposition the 110 unity colleges across the country for optimum performance in all ramifications.
The Minister of State for Education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba stated this on Tuesday while declaring open the 2021 Annual General Meeting of Principals of unity colleges which opened in Gombe, Gombe State capital.
Addressing participants on the topic, ‘Repositioning Federal Unity Colleges’, Nwajiuba said that Federal Government was determined to restore quality and standard to federal unity colleges across the nation.
To achieve this, the Minister said President Muhamadu Buhari has set the ball rolling through a bumper welfare package for teachers, which he approved last year.
The package, the Minister said includes the extension of length of service, new salary structure for teachers, automatic employment to education graduates, a new housing programme and pension scheme among others.
The Minister added that the federal government is committed to restoring the past glory of federal unity colleges through adequate funding, strict supervision and re-evaluation of the entire system.
The Minister warned that government will not spare any officer found wanting under the new dispensation, as such officers will be shown the way out of service, adding that change has come into the education sector for good.
Hon. Nwajiuba emphasized the need for training and retraining to prepare teachers for the unfolding dispensation, which is fast ushering in new developments that will contribute to the evolution of a strong democratic, prosperous, invisible and sovereign nation.
The Minister expressed optimism that resolutions reached at the 2021 AGM will help tremendously in addressing some of the challenges bedeviling the education sector, not only in unity colleges but in Nigeria as a whole.
Speaking at the AGM, Gombe State Deputy Governor, Dr. Manasseh Daniel Jato told the participants that the Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya led administration at it’s inception, declared a state of emergency in the state’s education sector, which led to;
– The establishment of the Leadership Training Center in the State
– Massive renovation of Infrastructure in schools
– Improvement of health infrastructure in schools especially against the backdrop of Covid-19
– Modernization of the Sangaya (Almajiri) Educational System and
– Payment of all relevant counterpart funding to ensure that the state takes full advantage of all programmes of donor partners.
Improving Principals capacities
In his welcome address, permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny Echono noted that the AGM is an avenue where issues of crucial importance to the growth and development of quality education in federal unity colleges are discussed, adding that such discussion will equally improve the managerial capacity of principals.
Speaking on the theme of the AGM, “The Role of Education in Evaluating Social Vices as Guiding Tool in the era of Insecurity“, the Permanent Secretary said, the theme is apt especially now that the country is going through security challenges, and youth restiveness, drug addiction and examination malpractices.
Emmanuel Ukoh
