Bauchi tackles unregistered colleges of education

The Bauchi State Government has frowned at the number of unregistered colleges of education operating across the state.

The State’s Commissioner of the Ministry of Higher Education, Dr. Lydia Tsammani, in a press briefing after the state executive council meeting on Wednesday, lamented that “the number of unregistered colleges of education in Bauchi State is alarming.”

Tsammani noted further, “This development is across the nook and crannies of Bauchi. The fake institutions are what our poor residents regard as trainers of knowledge to our future teachers.

“With the development, if not properly managed, the state education system is in trouble,” she warned.

The commissioner disclosed that the memo summited to the council by her ministry on the ratification of colleges of education in the state has been approved.

She explained that out of the 49 private colleges of education in the state, only twelve had proper registration and regulations.

“Four of these 49 colleges have structures but have yet to register fully with the authorities. Thirty-nine have no structures, no staff, and only operates at the expense of public schools and staff,” she added.

Tsammani further disclosed that the resolutions of the council on the matter included the following: “That colleges with registration with National Commission for Higher Education be allowed to operate and employ qualified permanent staff. They should pay renewal annual dues to the government through the Ministry of Higher Education.

“They should ensure to admit only qualified candidates, and ensure continuous update of school facilities.”

She stressed that “all colleges without the recognition of the authorities but have structures are given six months to complete their registration process.

In the same vein, the Bauchi State Executive Council has approved a 10-year developmental plan aimed at achieving sustainable growth and development across all sectors.

The plan, which spans from 2024 to 2034, will focus on key areas such as healthcare, education, agriculture, infrastructure, youth and women development, and industrialisation.

According to the state Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Aminu Hammayo, “the long-term plan will address youth restlessness by leveraging ICT and digital economic transformation, as well as promoting inclusiveness in governance.”

Furthermore, the council approved an intensive training programme for youths in the state to be conducted in collaboration with the Federal Government’s ICT Bureaus.

The Director General of Bureau for Information and Communication, Hayatuddeen Babama’aji, explained that the training aims to create an ICT-enabling environment, and as such, the council has ratified the change of scope of the bureau to the State Bureau for ICT and Digital Economy.