*Gov Inuwa moves to reposition higher education to meet global best practices
By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON has received the report of the visitation panel to Gombe State College of Education, Billiri.
A statement signed by the DG (Press Affairs) Government House Gombe, Ismaila Uba Misilli, made available on Saturday, said that
the panel, which is the first of its kind since the establishment of the college, was inaugurated by the Governor on the 27th of July this year to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the institution and report back to the state government.
While receiving the report, Governor Inuwa Yahaya, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, stressed that his administration was deliberate in setting up the visitation panels to have a comprehensive understanding of the situation of higher institutions in the state to identify areas that need intervention to reposition them in line with global best practices.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya noted that visitation panels are a necessary catalyst for the development of the administration of higher institutions. “Visitation panel is an educational ritual where after some time, a panel goes on to give a wholistic assessment of the educational situation in the institution in question”, he said.
He noted that in the last four years, his administration focused more attention on basic education; primary and secondary schools. “But I am proud to say today, we have been able to come out of the woods.
“When we came in, the percentage of students passing WAEC and NECO in Gombe State was very low. To God be the glory, by the end of our first tenure, it has risen to over 67%”,
Having achieved this feat, the governor said, his administration is now focusing on higher institutions in its deliberate attempt to methodically intervene to promote effective teaching and learning for the overall development of Gombe State.
He therefore assured members that the state government would carefully study the reports and implement same within available resources. “The report will be thoroughly studied and of course, all the recommendations contained therein will be implemented within the resources available to the government”, he assured.
Earlier presenting the report, the chairman of the panel, Professor Mohammed Gurama Dukku said the report was a result of robust work, careful and extensive deliberation based on mutual consultations and submissions from stakeholders, engagement with development documents, and physical observation among others.
“Your Excellency, we are pleased to report that we have tried as much as possible to deal with these issues thematically based on the terms of reference that were given to us and maybe with a few things we found to be pertinent to this particular assignment”, he said.
While expressing gratitude to Governor Inuwa Yahaya for finding members of the panel worthy to serve in this capacity, the chairman assured their readiness to serve the state in whatever capacity, hoping that their report will guide future policies to develop the state college of education and the overall education sector in the state.
