The Provost, Taraba College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Jalingo, Dr. Yakubu Ali Garjila has pleaded with Governor Agbu Kefas to declare a state of emergency on the institution to improve its standard.
The Provost, a former student of the College said management of the college has been challenging, saying he met dilapidated structures and many challenges in the institution.
“When I assumed office as Provost, the road leading into the school premises was too poor but I was able to put it in a better shape that one can drive in. Another challenge was student enrollment. Student enrollment was so low but at least, there are gradual changes.”
He advocated for the official gazette of the institution’s new name from its old Taraba State College of Agriculture now called Taraba State College of Agriculture, Science and Technology to meet the demands of studies and development, saying application for gazetting have already been forwarded the application to the government to gazette it.
“If the college is been gazetted, we can apply things anywhere for the development of the institution and it will also add a sensor to access TETFund which will help grow the institution faster.
We are making progress because new departments have been established. Formerly as a mono-technic, we were only running (11) courses but due to the change in name and the nomenclature of the college as science and technology, we now have 24 departments.
“Although, the departments are not yet accredited because the new name for the college has not been gazetted. It has to follow some processes in which we have submitted everything to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) headquarters in Kaduna. It is now left for the NBTE to come and see the school structures and staff available. Once that is done, we can go to Abuja and access TETFund like other institutions in Nigeria.”
He debunked claims of fertilizer manufacture by the college, saying, ” “What we normally do is train the student on how to manufacture organic fertilizer which is made from either cow dump or chicken drop. We encourage farmers to go for organic fertilizer due to its low cost in price.”
He appealed to the Governor to gazette the new me of the college and intervene in the general infrastructural situation of the college. Since the inception of the college, build lecture theatres for the college.
“We do not have lecture theatres for conducive learning. We lack access road here. Even the road leading to the college poultry house has been cut off. The poultry house itself has been blown off by the wind,” he added.
