Established in 1974, the Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Plateau State, which started as Federal Advanced Teachers’ College, is one of the pioneer institutions that came on board to tackle the acute shortage of qualified teachers for primary and junior secondary schools.
The institution, which started with 100 students at a temporary site in Mararaba-Pushit, got its full status as a teacher trainer via decree No.6 of 1986, and decree 4 of 1993 (as amended). Since then, it has trudged through various challenges – from shortage of manpower, infrastructure and paucity of funds – to become one of the leading teacher training centres in the country.
Currently, it has 13,269 students enrolled into the National Certificate of Education (NCE) and Degree programmes spread through seven schools including School of Education, School of Arts and Social Sciences, School of Languages, School of Vocational and Technical Education.
It has 78 course combinations with eight double major courses, all of which have been accredited by the National Commission of Colleges of Education (NCCE).
According to its Provost, Dr Amos Cirfat, the institution has been offered full accreditation with its NCE programmes recognised globally.
“We just got the letter from NCCE informing us of the full accreditation of all our NCE programmes,” the excited provost declared to newsmen recently.
Cirfat said that the school, as at 2017, had 8,650 students admitted into NCE regular programmes, 4,415 students for B. Ed regular courses, and another 204 students for B. Ed part time courses.
“Our programmes are respected everywhere, and so are our products, in spite of the paucity of staff and infrastructure. The pressure from applicants got even more intense with the nod to run degree programmes in addition to our usual NCE programmes.”
According to him, the school runs 23 assorted degree courses and has graduated five sets.
“I am proud to say that FCE Panskhin is a major player in the growth of the nation’s educational sector. It trains and retrains quality teachers so as to have quality students in all fields.
“Unfortunately, because of our challenges in the area of staffing and infrastructure, we are constrained to do more than what our capacity can carry.
“The most challenging area is staffing. Currently, we have only 859 staff; 753 of them are senior workers, while 106 are junior staff,’’ he said.
According to him, since 2012, no staff has been employed following an employment embargo placed on the college by the Federal Government.
“The situation is so disturbing and we have been appealing to the ministry of education to reconsider its stance and lift the embargo to enable us employ more hands to help the few staff that we have, especially the academic staff, who are so over-stretched.
“We have tried to do our best in spite of the massive challenges. This college waxes stronger everyday and makes proud,” he said.
Dr Emmanuel Hemba, Director, Academic Planning, corroborates the provost’s concerns.
“The challenges confronting the college have brought about undue instability and affected planning for academic excellence.
“When I joined the college in 2002, the academic stability of the college was better than what we have today due to many factors, especially students-to-staff ratio.
“In the past, we had few students with sufficient staff and facilities, but today, the reverse is the case. The academic staff are currently grappling with large volumes of work, especially with our expanded scope as we now offer both NCE and Degree programmes.
“The challenge of lack of infrastructure for both students and staff use is like a canker-worm. The increase in the number of students doesn’t have corresponding increase in the infrastructure. A good example is the hostels meant for just 300 students. In the past, that was okay, but we currently admit 13,000 students.
“Strikes, internal and national, have also affected our academic stability. But, we are happy that the shortfall in staff salaries has been partially addressed by the federal government and strikes are no more common.”
Dr Solomon Mangvwat, Dean, School of Education, is also impressed with the institution’s academic standard in spite of the challenges.
“Generally, the standard of this college is high as we strictly adhere to the NCCE curriculum. Some of the secondary school products that come here usually have to be “polished up” to make them good for the teaching profession by the time they graduate from here.
“Although we are facing staffing challenge, we have highly qualified staff. During the last accreditation exercise, officials of the National University Commission ((NUC), acknowledged this.”
But, as the school looks forward to even better days ahead, its Public Relation Officer (PRO), Mr Istifanus Kyakmut, says that he is particularly impressed that Cirfat, the provost, has completed and inaugurated many structures.
He is particularly happy and proud of the new administrative block that hosts the academic staff offices and the offices of the Provost, Registrar and Bursar.
“He (the Provost), has also completed and inaugurated a 600-capacity twin Lecture Hall and convocation/entrepreneurial Centre to enhance learning and skill acquisition.
“Also completed and inaugurated are pockets of other projects including a 342-capacity Twin Lecture Theatre, remodeled Library Multipurpose Science Laboratory, and the procurement of new vehicles – a 56-seater luxurious bus and another 30-seater bus.
“The Provost has ensured prompt repairs and maintenance of facilities in the students’ hostels and classrooms, where boreholes and desks are provided for conducive teaching and learning.
“To increase the Internally Generated Revenue of the college, the provost has reorganised the College Ventures Ltd and registered it with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). He has also reshuffled its management staff and appointed a new manager from outside the college, ’’ Kyakmut stated.
Kyakmut also reeled out the international support and synergy the college has initiated with some foreign institutions and learning centres across the globe.
“FCE Pankshin is a centre for World Bank/UBE pilot study for teacher support programme.
“The French Embassy has also graciously nominated our college as a pilot centre for the learning of French and the West African Centre for Practical Teaching and Learning.
“Our students have equally participated in international competitions and one of them recently emerged as the best in English Langugae, just as our lecturers do participate in international exhibitions in fine arts and win laurels,’’ Kyakmut added.
He says he is also thrilled that the institution, unlike many others, has very smooth working relationship with its staff unions like the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff of College of Education Association in Nigeria (SSUCOEN), and the National Association of Academic Technologist (NAAT).
“Such good relationship has boosted service delivery and enhanced academic stability and excellence,” he says.
But, in spite of this rosy picture, Kyakmut is worried about the rising number of students and the stagnant number of lecturers expected to meet the rising demands of teaching them.
“The demands go up everyday, especially with many people rushing to this place because of its quality. Something must be done to tackle the yawning gap.
Hemba has some suggestions.
“There must be some geometrical increase in staff strength and infrastructures if we are to cope with the overwhelming increase in students.
“The Federal Government, through TETfund, has done much in the area of infrastructures. That has reduced the wide gap in that area.
“But, to be able to cope going forward, the school must be assisted in the areas of staffing and physical facilities. The embargo on employment should be lifted and more funds given to the college for further development,’’ he advised.
Mangvwat, on his part, says that quality will be improved with more thorough screening of those to be admitted into the institution.
“The screening process for candidates that apply to the college for admission must be more stringent to ensure that those coming from “miracle centres’’ or “passing centres’’ are fished out.
“These candidates come in with excellent results but turn out to hollow. We cannot continue like this,” he said.
He also called for improvement in the area of power supply, multi-media facilities and libraries, to promote excellence.
As the school clocks 45, analysts share Mangwat’s opinion that it has achieved much but say it will do even better with more staff, funds and facilities.They add that it is only when these pressing needs are met that the institution will attain the ultimate goal of becoming the first University of Education in northern Nigeria. (NANfeatures)
