THE SENIOR Staff Union in Colleges of Education (SSUCOEN), has called on the federal government to address errors in the constituted governing councils of tertiary institutions, before their inauguration.
The President of SSUCOEN, Comrade Danladi Msheliza, made the call in a letter addressed to the Federal Ministry of Education and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.
Comrade Msheliza observed that in the list of the constituted councils released by the federal government, there were omissions and wrong inclusions of schools while some colleges were listed as universities.
“We observed that some Colleges which are all listed in the First Schedule of the Federal Colleges of Education Act, 2023 are omitted from the composition of the list of Councils. As such, no Governing Council was constituted for any of them, even in the recently published list of Councils,” he said.
He listed the colleges as, Federal College of Education (FCE), Technical, Ekiadolor, Edo State, FCE, Odugbo, Benue State, FCE Jama’are, Bauchi State, FCE Isu, Ebonyi State and FCE Gidan Madi, Sokoto State.
The SSUCOEN president added that there was appointment of governing councils for some FCEs not listed in the FCE Act, 2023, as they were yet to take off with members of staff or students.
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He expressed dismay that FCEs that had been in existence with members of staff and students in their campuses, we’re not captured in the list of governing councils.
“In the same vein, we also observed that some FCEs (FCE Kano, FCE Zaria and Alvan Ikoku, FCE Owerri), whose names were, in the past, changed to Universities of Education were listed as Universities.
“Pro Chancellors/Chairmen and members of Councils were constituted for them.
“These FCEs are by mere official pronouncement without any law establishing them, and are not known to the law, as Universities.
“It should be noted that the above-mentioned Federal Colleges of Education are currently listed in the First Schedule of the FCEs Act, 2023.
“Therefore, one wonders how they would be regarded as Universities when there is no law establishing them as Universities,” he said.
On membership of councils, he noted that the FCEs Act provided for a Chairman and four members, for each College, out of which, one shall be a female.
He, however, said that from the list released, some Colleges have all male nominees, without a female nominee, which was in contravention of the Act.
“Unfortunately, we are aware that the Governing Councils may be billed for inauguration soon.
“However, we strongly stand on our earlier advise that the observed anomalies be corrected before the inauguration.
“Or better still, the inauguration be put on hold while the observed anomalies are corrected within the shortest time possible,” he said.
He assured that the union’s intentions and concerns were in the best interest of the colleges of education subsector and of industrial harmony. (NAN)
