Apparently worried by the fallen standard of education in the state, the Adamawa State House of Assembly Standing Committee on Education has offered to support the revitilisation of education sector through legislation on issues that affect the sector in the state.
The committee said that it is ready to complement the effort of the present administration in improving the standard of education in the state through effective oversight function and legislation on the sector, saying no society will develop without prioritising the education.
The Chairman of the House Committee and member representing Hong constituency, Hon. Bathiya Wesley, made the pledge while leading the Vice Chairman and other members of the committee on a familiarisation visit on Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) under his committee.
The membership of the Committee include: Hon.Bathiya Wesley (Hong) Chairman, Hon. Simon Isa( Song), Vice Chairman, Hon. Shuaibu Babas( Fufore Gurin), Hon. Umar Nashion Gubi( Nassarawo Binyeri) and Hon. Alhassan Hamajoda(Ganye), as members of the committee.
The MDAs that the committee was able to visit so far include; the Ministry of Education and its counterpart of Higher Education, Post Primary Schools Management Board(PPSMB), Mass Education Board and State Polytechnic, Yola, respectively.
Speaking while leading his colleagues, Hon. Bathiya, said that the visit was to acquaint themselves with the operations of the MDAs with a view to close ranks so as to uplift the standard of education in the state.
He said that his new committee has accorded premium attention on the sector and that it will synergize with his MDAs in order to complement the effort of the present administration in turning around the sector, saying that any society that fails to give the sector the attention it deserves, it will not in any progress.
The lawmaker assured the MDAs of the 7th Assembly's readiness to provide quality legislations that will impact positively on the sector and that his committee's doors are opened to welcome their challenges, appealing for support and cooperation to enable them succeed.
Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary ministry of Education, Hajiya Halima Isa Ahmadu, told the committee that the sector had suffered a lot setback in the past, but now there is a positive change as a result of prioritising the sector by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri led administration.
She said already, they have felt the impact of transformation in the sector, adding that the Governor had given a good roadmap on how to standardise the sector as a first priority.
She explained that some of the challenges of the ministry currently include; lack funding, dilapidated structures, lack of qualified teachers, out of school children, lack of enough teaching and learning materials, and urged the committee to do everything possible and help the ministry.
On his part, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Ibrahim Zubairu Obadiah, stated that the his ministry and committee are partners in progress, and their main objective is to move the sector forward particularly at this moment that the state's higher institutions are begging for attention.
Mr. Zubairu Obadiah, appealed to the committee to return some of the institutions such as trade centres that were hitherto under the Directorate of Incubation but moved to POWECO by the past administration to his ministry so as train and empower the youths.
He further lamented poor relationship between the ministry and some of the institutions under it, saying that being the supervisory ministry, it is expected that everything that these institutions need from the government has to pass through them, but it does not happen this way.
Baring her mind, the Acting Executive Secretary PPSMB, Mairama Umar Abubakar, told the committee that her board has a lot of problems within and outside the board, pleading with them to give them listening ears whenever they approach them with such problems for solution.
Also speaking while receiving the committee in her office, the Director of Mass Education Board, Mrs. Charity Dubi, said the organization has recorded a lot of achievements since it became board last year.
Mrs. Charity identified some if the challenges of her board to include insufficient running cost, non compliance by the LGCs in the state to remit 2% of their internally generated revenue, inadequate facilitators to open literacy centres the 21 LGAsand to training of girl child, inadequate office accommodation and lack of monitoring vehicle among others.
On his part, the Rector Adamawa state Polytechnic, Yola, Professor Ibrahim Umar, also identified lack of funding as major challenge hindering the growth of the institution.
Professor Umar lamented that there was zero budgetary allocation to institution, saying that they always go for budget defence, but nothing comes out of it, and urged the committee to help the Polytechnic by pleading with the government to fund it as tetFUND alone will not be enough for the growing academic institution.
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