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From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi
The Federal College of Education (FCE), Gidan Madi in Sokoto State, on Monday, matriculated 434 students during its third matriculation ceremony held at the college.
Provost of the college, Prof. Faruq Umar-Zaki, said the college admitted its first set of students in January 2023 with 287 students distributed into the various courses offered by the College.
He said 226 of the students were in their final year and would graduate in October as pioneers.
“We also have 276 students, who were admitted into the second year; they are currently at the NCE Il level. At present, we have a total of 434 admitted students, with 228 in the School of Science Education and 206 in 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 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 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 are in addition to the road network for easy navigation in the College.
“This year, 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 create a JAMB centre to ease the conduct of JAMB examinations for prospective students in the surrounding communities.
“Still this year, the College Career Service Centre 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.”
Umar-Zaki commended President Bola Tinubu for the massive budgets for education, Tertiary Education Trust Fund’s scheme and the Federal Ministry of Education for their support and all the developmental projects in the college.
The provost, however, commended the Gidan Madi community and Sokoto State Government for their support and hospitality to the college.
Governor Ahmad Aliyu, represented by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Isah Maishanu, promised to sustain its support to the college.
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.
He lauded the Sokoto State government for its support to the college, especially payment of compensations to affected residents of Gidan Madi communities, and release of funds to facilitate the college take-off in 2022.
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.
