By Jimoh Babatunde

President Muhammadu Buhari has been commended for assenting to the bill seeking to upgrade the Federal College of Education, FCE, Kontagora, to a  university of education.

The Chairman of the Federal College of Education Governing Board, Alhaji Arabi, who made the commendation yesterday,  said that the development “is a bold step to prove that the Buhari-led government is capable of re-engineering the country  educational sector for optimal growth.

“Buhari deserves the accolade for taking the bold step to uplift the standard of the Federal College of Education to the status of university.”

He expressed optimism that the gesture would improve and enhance academic excellence and also provide opportunities to the teeming applicants of tertiary education in the country.

“Indeed, it has become necessary to lend my voice in appreciating Buhari for the bold step he took in approving the conversion of the federal College of Education to a university of education.

“It will provide more opportunities for our teeming graduates and the informal sectors of the economy to be gainfully employed.

“The conversion will see to the establishment of more additional faculties that will offer professional courses that are of high demand in the present 21st century.”

The chairman reassured the board of giving every support to the federal government to ensure that the university takes off well.

“So far, the infrastructure available on the campus are good enough for the smooth take-off of the institution.”

While describing the struggle for the actualisation of the university’s conversion as a collective one that received the blessings of well-meaning Nigerians, Dr Yusuf Garba, former chairman Colleges of Education Acadamic Staff Union, commended Senator Abdullah  Sahabi for initiating the bill.

He said: “The struggle was no doubt a collective one that received the blessings of well-meaning Nigerians that are in support of the growth and development of education in the country.”

He further said that the university would help in producing require manpower to effectively manage the education sector in the north central states.

He explained that  the conversation of the Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Plateau and Kontagora, would go a long way in providing atmosphere conducive for learning as well as providing manpower to manage the education sector.