CSO CALLS FOR QUICK PASSAGE OF AKWA IBOM UNIVERSITY EDUCATION BILL
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The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has been encouraged by the Center for Human Rights and Accountability Network (CHRAN) to swiftly approve the measure that would elevate the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, to the status of a university.
A public hearing on “A Bill For A Law To Provide For The Establishment Of The Akwa Ibom State University Of Education, Afaha Nsit And To Make Provisions For Its Administration And For Other Purposes Connected Thereto” was held by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. The bill has not yet been passed by the House of Assembly.
Otuekong Franklyn Isong, the Director of CHRAN in Akwa Ibom, called on all parties involved to unite and work together to achieve the bill’s ambitious goals during a press conference on Wednesday.
“As many parents and guardians prefer a four-year degree program to a three-year National Certificate of Education (NCE) program offered by the State College of Education, a swift passage of the bill would prevent a drastic drop in student admissions,” he said.
Isong added that research showed that NCE graduates are no longer given preference in the job market.
He praised the members of the House of Assembly, particularly the Chairman and members of the House Committee on Education, as well as the Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Udeme Otong, for taking decisive legislative action to upgrade the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, to the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit.
Parts of the statement read, “In March, 2024, during an advocacy visit to the College, CHRAN, while advocating for the State Government to upgrade the College to the status of a University of Education, expressed concern that the institution, which was established in October 1990, has been losing students enrolment to universities as most parents and guardians preferred a four-year degree programme to a three-year National Certificate of Education (NCE) programme offered by the College.
“Findings by CHRAN indicates that admission into the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit for the NCE programme has drastically reduced from over 5,000 in the late 1990s to just 69 in the 2023/2024 session.
“CHRAN also found that the labour market no longer favours NCE graduates. Again, as findings by the CHRAN indicate, about 11 academic programmes in the Akwa Ibom State College of Education are already running the degree programme affiliated to the University of Uyo.
“According to findings by CHRAN, the drastic drop in students enrolment for the NCE programme, coupled with the ceiling by the University of Uyo on admissions by the College of Education, Afaha Nsit for the degree programme, the internally-generated revenue (IGR) of the College of Education, Afaha Nsit has become too low for meaningful administration and academic progress of the College of Education, Afaha Nsit.
“It is worrisome that although the College is empowered by Law to award degrees, it can only do so in affiliation with the University of Uyo.”
CHRAN pointed out that the Dean of the University of Uyo’s Faculty of Education is required to serve on the Council of the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, as stipulated in Section 4(2)(c) of the Akwa Ibom State College of Education Law.
According to the Center, Akwa Ibom State would be able to boast of an organization that will guarantee the availability of highly skilled labor at all educational levels once the Bill is signed into law.
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