The Federal College of Education (FCE), Odugbo has held its maiden matriculation ceremony for 500 students of the College.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Provost of the College, Professor Joel Eriba, tasked the pioneer students to reciprocate the laudable gesture of the government by committing themselves to the letters of matriculation oath administered to them.
Eriba revealed that about 500 students were matriculated into 18 NCE Programmes offered at the College.
According to him, the selection of candidates for admission was strictly based on the national minimum requirements for admission into Nigeria’s National Certificate in Education programme as enunciated in the minimum standards of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
Commenting on the rationale for the establishment of the College, the Provost observed that the presence of the College would among other things, enhance, promote and encourage teacher education in Nigeria to ameliorate the challenges that many Nigerians face in accessing quality teacher education.
He lamented that the quality of teacher education has nosedived in the last few decades due to some causative factors such as negative attitudes of society towards teachers, very poor remuneration of teachers, lack of motivation of teachers by their employers and teachers’ poor image in society among others.
Worried by the abysmal importance attached to teacher education, Professor Eriba reiterated that “No nation can rise above the quality of her teachers.”
He, however, pointed out that to reinvigorate and reposition the teaching profession, the Federal Government had announced some welfare packages for teachers.
Eriba outlined the packages such as the “Payment of teaching practice allowance to education undergraduates by TETFUND; the ongoing implementation of a special salary scale; Increase in retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65 years and Increase in years of service from 35 to 40 years.”
Other welfare packages being worked out for teachers, according to him, include “Payment of rural allowance for teachers posted to rural communities; Increase in science allowance, peculiar allowance, automatic admission and tuition-free for kids of teachers at their places of work; Automatic recruitment of B.Ed graduating students and payment of stipends to Bachelor of Education students or education special allowance.”
He said education students in Colleges and Universities are also to enjoy special bursary awards as well as enhanced entry for graduating students into service and the introduction of special teachers’ pension.
The Provost assured that the Federal College of Education was poised to realising the lofty goals of the Federal Government.
Eriba further expressed appreciation to the benefactor of the College, President Muhammadu Buhari, for approving the establishment of FCE, Odugbo, Benue State, among other Colleges of Education in the six geo-political zones of the country in November 2019.
He also thanked the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, for making sure that the establishment of the College became a reality.
His words: “Mallam Adamu Adamu signed the appointment letters of the Principal Officers on 16th March, 2021 and inaugurated the Governing Council of the College on 18th January, 2022 on behalf of the President.”
The Provost also appreciated Arc. Sonny Echono, the former Permanent Secretary, of the Federal Ministry of Education and currently the Executive Secretary of TETFUND donated his houses for use as a take-off site for the College free of charge.
The helmsman of the Federal College of Education, Odugbo specially acknowledged the efforts of TETFUND in providing funds for the infrastructural development of the College through various interventions.
He noted that in his characteristic gesture of magnanimity, Echono facilitated the award of scholarships to over 100 indigent students, mainly of Odugbo extraction through the Linda Ene Echono Foundation.
Earlier, the Registrar of the College, Barr Ehi Naomi Omojor-Onjefu administered the matriculation oath to the students.
Omojor-Onjefu called on the students to fill out the matriculation forms, append their signatures and submit them to the Registry Department of the College, signifying their commitment to abide by the letters of the oath taken.
In a goodwill message, the Executive Secretary, NCCE, Professor Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle represented by Dr (Barr) Mainasara Umar expressed profound gratitude to the management and staff led by the Provost for their dedication to duty as exemplified in the milestones achieved by the College.
He noted that though the College was new, it was considered one of the best in all standards.
Okwelle called on the students to be hardworking and dedicated to their studies.
Professor Hyacinth Oluma, who delivered the goodwill message of the Chairman of the Council, Senator Salisu Matori, expressed his profound joy for being part of the maiden matriculation of the College.
He assured the management and staff of the continued support and partnership of the Council toward the overall growth of the College.
