Akwa Ibom University of Education Bill: CHRAN's Position

A PRESENTATION BY THE CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS & ACCOUNTABILITY NETWORK (CHRAN) AT THE 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” HELD AT THE OLD CHAPEL, AKWA IBOM STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY, UYO ON WEDNESDAY, 26TH FEBRUARY, 2025.

Introduction: By a letter dated 20th February, 2025 with Reference number: AKHA/S/72/VOL.II/261 signed by Etim A. Okon for Chairman, House Committee on Education, the Center for Human Rights & Accountability Network (CHRAN), was invited by the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to this Public Hearing. Annexed to the invitation letter was a copy of the Bill. The Invitation letter stated that the Public Hearing is billed to hold on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. On receipt of the invitation letter on 20th February, 2025, the CHRAN appraised the Bill.

This presentation represents the position of the CHRAN on the Bill at the Old Chapel, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Complex, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo.

i) An Overview of the Bill:The Bill has 37 Sections and 3 Schedules. The First Schedule provides for the Principal Officers of the University. The Second Schedule contains transitional provisions as to property, functions, etc. The Third Schedule contains provisions on the arrangement of articles with respect to the constitution by statute of the main bodies of the University, including the Council, the Senate, Congregation and Convocation.

The Bill is divided into 5 functional Parts. Part I makes provision for the establishment, constitution and functions of the Akwa Ibom University of Education and its constituent bodies. Part II makes provision for general fund, transfer of property, etc. Part III provides for statutes, ordinances and regulations of the University. Part IV makes provision for supervision and discipline. Part V contains miscellaneous and general provisions.

The Bill seeks to repeal the Akwa Ibom State College of Education Law, Cap. 31, Vol. 2, Laws of Akwa Ibom State, 2022. When the Bill becomes Law, the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit will be replaced by the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit, and all assets, liabilities and staff of the former will be taken over by the latter.

ii) CHRAN’s Inputs:The Center appreciates and commends the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly for taking concrete legislative steps towards upgrading the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit to the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit. CHRAN has been at the head of advocacies towards the upgrade of the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit to the status of a University of Education. CHRAN had embarked on several advocacy visits to the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, during which period, CHRAN met with the management of the College and toured and appraised the facilities of the College.

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 5000 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.

CHRAN had decried that although the College is empowered by Law to award degrees, it can only do so in affiliation with the University of Uyo.

CHRAN notes that Section 4(2)(c) of the Akwa Ibom State College of Education Law specifically provides that the Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Uyo shall be a member of the Council of the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit.

Conclusion: The Center commends the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly for working round the clock to ensure that requisite legislation is in place to upgrade the Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit to the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit in line with contemporary realities in the field of education. When the Bill becomes Law, Akwa Ibom State will boast of an institution that will ensure the availability of highly-trained manpower at all levels of education. Of course, this will be a big boost to the ARISE Agenda of the current administration of Pastor Umo Eno, PhD.

CHRAN supports the Bill and urges all stakeholders to close ranks and synergise towards the realisation of the lofty objectives of the Bill.

The Center appreciates the Speaker, the Leadership and Members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly for the invitation to this Public Hearing, believing that our submission will be considered in the legislation.

Signed Otuekong Franklyn Isong (Director)

Comrade (Barr.) Christopher Ekpo(Secretary)