No fewer than 25,000 teachers have been produced by the Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe since it was established in 1977.
Disclosing this and the institution’s desire to contribute more to the development of the state and Nigeria, Chairman of the Governing Council Gaza Lazarus, noted that the products are currently teachers across private and public schools.
He said, “Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe was established by the Federal Government since 1977 with a mandate and vision to produce high quality and well-motivated Vocational, Technical and Science teachers for primary, junior and senior Secondary schools in the Country.
“It has produced over Twenty Five Thousand (25,000) NCE teachers and a number of graduates from its Degree Programme under affiliation with the University of Maiduguri and the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi (ATBU) over the years.”
While lauding the President Bola Tinubu for the recent approval of the Dual Mode mandate for the Federal Colleges of Education by the Federal Government, Lazarus added, “which gives the Colleges of Education additional mandate to offer Degree courses in Education, the College will soon begin to offer Degree courses in its various programmes to be run concurrently alongside the existing NCE programmes. Sir, we believe this is a positive development for the teeming youths in Gombe State in particular and the Country at large.”
Speaking further he noted that education is the bedrock of development and it requires massive investment. “I note with satisfaction that much has been achieved in this sector during your first tenure and beyond, being an education friendly Governor. Let me categorically state here that the College appreciates the timely intervention of the Gombe State Government under your dynamic and able leadership through collaboration with the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes for the award of Multi-million Naira Erosion Control Project for the (21km FCE(T), Gombe – Railway Line Gully Erosion Control Work).”
Lazarus solicited for more support for FCE(T) saying “In this regard, I wish to crave your indulgence and kindly appeal that the state government considers building of a befitting Students’ hostels, lecture Auditorium or any other infrastructural facility in the College which will be named after the State. In addition to that, the College also needs assistance in the following areas:
Responding, Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, said they were one big family ascribing their appointment to the immense contribution to the success of the All Progressives Congress.
“We are one big family; everyone on this board is representing a geopolitical zone and its a reflection of the contribution of his membership to our great party, the APC. We are welcome home,” he said.
He urged them to bring their ingenuity to bear in uplifting the standard of the institution, “You should cultivate the ground to ensure you work better and deliver more because we are multiplying in numbers by the day and our needs and demands are increasing by the day. You need to work together to be sure you meet the expectations of the people especially the host community as we do our part, so also you must do to us.
Continuing Yahaya added, “The partnership is key, I’m happy the President has approved that the college awards degree programme, I hope you will not also neglect the core mandate that is why you introduced skills development, emphasis must be put in vocational skills development if we are to progress.
“Until the background of institution is built on technical education it means developing artisans and craftsmanship needed in other to make our society better and develop such that industrialisation is given relevance.
“It will make us self reliant, because we can do it on our own we have no reason with all the numbers nearly 230 million people and 65 per cent are youths not up to 25 that means there is capacity what our youths can do is beyond imagination.
“With this we will boost foreign exchange and improve our economy that is what other countries do,if you compare Nigeria with Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and to some extent India and China. We need to work hard and ensure we achieve the expectations, you have a college that can do that you can play a big role, so do that for us, we are ready to support you to give you the necessary push to obtain the ideal situation.”
