By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo
An advocacy group, Center for Human Rights and Advocacy Network,CHRAN, has called on the Akwa Ibom Government to review the law establishing the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, Nsit Ibom Local Council with a view to to upgrading the College to the status of a University.
CHRAN Director, Mr Franklyn Isong, who made the call during an advocacy visit to the College yesterday expressed concern that the College, established in October 1990, has been losing its students population to Universities over the years as parents seem to prefer a University that offers a four-year degree programme than a three-year National Certificate of Education (NCE) programme.
Isong noted that though the law empowered the College to award degrees, that could only be done in affiliation with a University,which makes the Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Uyo a statutory member of the Akwa Ibom State College of Education Council.
The Director commended the Provost, Prof. Daniel Udo, and the management of the College for the relative peace enjoyed in the institution.
He stated that it was involved at some point in efforts to resolve the dispute between the management of the College and the trade union in 2022/2023, which arose from the suspension of some union leaders on account of their activities in the College but thanked the Provost for resolving the dispute and paying the affected unionists their salaries as was directed by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
Isong called on the unionists to close ranks with the College management to facilitate the realisation of the mission and objectives of the College, maintaining that no progress can be achieved in an environment filled with rancour, acrimony and malice.
He however decried the lack of a master plan for the College, observing that developments are being carried out haphazardly and indiscriminately due to the absence of a master plan d encoffered to partner the College in the area of advocacy.
In his response, Provost of the College, Prof. Daniel Udo, said he has worked concertedly towards ensuring a peaceful and safe environment for learning in the College since his assumption of office as Provost.
Udo commended the state Government for providing funds for the College, which has facilitated the successful accreditation of all NCE programmes and ten (10 out of 11 degree programmes and commended the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) for several infrastructural interventions in the College.
He however called for increased intervention and funding adding that, working with stakeholders, including the host communities, he has curtailed cultism even as the Students Union Government was enhanced to function optimally while the College has discharged admirably its corporate social responsibility to the five villages constituting Afaha Nsit.
The Provost explained the misunderstanding that led to the face-off with the union leaders has been resolved but noted that the national leadership absolved the College management of all the allegations levelled against management by the branch unionists.
Udo maintained that even though the branch unionists are yet to implement the directives of their national leadership, the College management under his leadership would continue to prioritise issues of staff welfare and improved work environment for workers, assuring that students of the institution would continue to enjoy good learning environment.
