From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Federal College of Education (FCE), Gidan Madi, in Sokoto State, on Monday, matriculated 434 students during its 3rd matriculation ceremony held at the college.
In his speech, the Provost of the college, Prof. Faruq Umar-Zaki, said the college admitted its first set of students in Jan. 2023, with 287 students distributed into the various courses offered by the College.
” 226 out of the students have now reached their final year and are expected to proudly graduate in October this year as the first graduands of FCE Gidan Madi.
” We also have 276 students who were admitted the second year, who are currently at the NCE Il level.
” At present, we have a total of 434 admitted students with 228 under the School of Science Education and 206 under the School of Vocational and Technical Education.
” At this juncture, I would like to use the authority vested in me to admit all the 434 students individually and severally as 2024/2025 matriculants of the Federal College of Education Gidan Madi,” he said.
Umar-Zaki said that the college would focus on the development of infrastructure to create an ideal learning environment.
” I am happy to announce that the College has witnessed significant infrastructural development, especially in the year 2024.
” During that year, four permanent workshops and eight classrooms were constructed for the School of Vocational and Technical Education, four laboratories, and four additional classrooms.
“This is in addition to the 24 offices which were constructed for the School of Science Education as well as a poultry farm for agricultural education. All these in addition to the road network for easy navigation in the College.
” In this year 2025, equipment will be provided for all the workshops, laboratories, offices, classrooms, and the poultry farm. Furthermore, additional equipment will be provided for dry farming including a tractor and other tilling equipment.
” Again, the ICT facilities will be upgraded to enhance e-learning and to create a JAMB center to ease the conduct of JAMB examinations for prospective students in the surrounding communities.
” Still this year, the College Career Service Center will be upgraded for students’ guidance and counselling, a sports arena will be built for students’ recreation, additional vehicles will be provided to solve the transportation problem faced by staff of the college, while the college solar power and water supply facilities will also be upgraded.
” We are hoping to complete all these projects before September when the accreditation team will be coming to assess the human and material capital in the College and finally grant approval for issuance of NCE certificates.
” One of the challenges the college is facing is staff accommodation, and we are hoping to get assistance or intervention to overcome that, ” he said.
Umar-Zaki commended the President, Bola Tinubu for the massive budgets for education, Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s scheme and the Federal Ministry of Education for their supports and all the developmental projects in the college.
The provost, however, commended Gidan Madi community and Sokoto State Government for their support and hospitality to the college.
On his part, Gov. Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto Stat, represented by the State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Isah Maishanu, promised to sustain its support to the college.
Earlier, the Chairman Governing Council, Dr Abdullahi Adamu, thanked the Federal Government for establishing the college along with five others in the other geopolitical zones to improve education delivery in the country.
Adamu lauded the Sokoto state government for all its support to the college, especially compensations to the affected residents of Gidan Madi communities, and release of huge sum of money to facilitate the college take- off in 2022.
On his part, the Provost of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto (SSCOE), Dr Tambari Umar-Yabo, congratulated the matriculating students and called on them to study well and be good ambassadors of the college wherever they might be.