By Abdullahi Alhassan
A member representing Hardawa constituency, Bauchi state house of assembly, Honourable Babayo Muhammad has moved a motion calling on the state government to regulate the incessant proliferation of illegal private NCE awarding institutions in Bauchi State so as to provide qualitative education to the people of the state.
Leading debate on the motion, Honorable. Babayo Muhammad explained that the proliferation of NCE awarding institutions in Bauchi State has gotten out of hands as presently there are 62 NCE awarding institutions in the state, adding that four are public institutions owned by the state government while 58 are private institutions established by businessmen as profit making ventures. “Out of the 58, only 13 are duly registered with the NCCE”. he decried.
According to the member, establishment of some of these institutions is illegal because no permission is pursued from the government or relevant regulatory bodies in the country and standards are disregarded in open deviance and candidates who seek admission in these institutions are exploited because of their ignorance.
Hn. Babayo explained that some of these institutions are using government structures, operate under trees or uncompleted structures, no enough personnel, auditorium, lecture theatres, hostels, libraries etc, saying this is a mockery of the entire education system.
“Mr Speaker sir, Honorable Colleagues, the continuous existence of illegal higher institutions in Bauchi State will have long time effect on the state’s economy and development, there existence is a serious problem because of non-compliance to rule and regulations governing establishment of higher institutions of learning in this country.
“They operate below standard and their operations is not clandestine, allowing them to continue is like allowing a timed bomb, when it explodes, it will cause serious devastating effect to the state”. Said Babayo.
He therefore prayed that the government through Ministry of Education to liase with National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to come out clearly to stop the unauthorized higher institutions from existing in Bauchi State and the government should ban all illegal private higher institutions from using its structures across the state.
Honourable. Babayo also suggested that government should blacklist all illegal higher institutions and the general public should be informed about the no recognizable certificates they award, create serious awareness campaigns to dissuade candidates who are ignorantly applying to such higher institutions for training.
The member also prayed that the existing approved tertiary institutions by the state government and private proprietors be expanded to be able to meet the increasing demands of applicants for admissions and that House Committee on Education be mandated to inspect the illegal higher institutions across the state with a view to ascertaining their true position and report back to the Honourable House for further legislation.