By; Mohammed Kawu Bauchi
The Bauchi state government under the able leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed has warned that it would not tolerate toxic infighting in it’s tertiary educational institutions to disrupt peace and slow down progress in the sector.
“Let me be clear: our administration will not tolerate toxic infighting that disrupts peace and slows down progress”, the governor said while inaugurating visitation panels for Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP), Bauchi, and and the Aminu Saleh College of Education, Azare
The panels are saddled with the responsibility of investigating the root causes of staff disagreements, trade union frictions, and administrative bottlenecks that have been rocking the two educational institutions for some years now for ways forward.
Represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Auwal Mohammed JATAU at a ceremony held at the Government House Thursday, the governor said, “We need a clear, diagnostic roadmap to restore harmony, mutual respect, and absolute focus back to our staff rooms”.
Governor Bala explained that the panels were not set up to witch-hunt anybody, as their constitution is based on key operational and administrative needs that include looking into administrative bottlenecks and resolve long-standing friction management and staff unions.
The panels are also to ensure that every kobo of internally generated revenue (IGR) and government subvention directly benefits the students, as well as
ensure the institution campuses remain safe, inclusive, and conducive to learning.
He stated, “Education remains the bedrock of our administration’s development agenda. Higher education must drive innovation, character development, and economic growth. Therefore, we must ensure our institutions possess the regulatory and administrative health required to succeed.
Senator Bala Mohammed reiterated that his administration’s commitment to higher education is backed by bold, measurable actions, not empty rhetoric, stressing that through strategic planning and increased budgetary allocations, enormous achievements have been recorded in the sector.
He said, “Education remains the bedrock of our administration’s development agenda. Higher education must drive innovation, character development, and economic growth. Therefore, we must ensure our institutions possess the regulatory and administrative health required to succeed”.
Mohammed who noted that the state
cannot achieve academic excellence in an atmosphere of chaos, observed that recurring internal disagreements, factionalism, and friction among staff members within the two institutions have become sources of concern, as Internal politics and personal grievances have begun to overshadow academic responsibilities.
He gave terms of reference of the panels to include
examining the relationship between the institutions and the key statutory, regulatory or supervisory bodies (such as the Bauchi State Ministry of Higher Education, the Governing Council, and the NBTE etc) to verify planning, guidance, and institutional discipline compliance.
Review the relationship between the Management and the Governing Council of the institutions to determine administrative effectiveness; and examine financial records, subventions, internally generated revenue (IGR), and assessing whether special grants or loans were utilized in accordance with budget regulations.
The panels are also to review the quality, status, and relevance of all programmes in the institutions, through the assessment of the state of instructional infrastructure such as workshops, laboratories, and the e-Library and ensure that they meet regulatory standards to combat facility neglect.
They are also to investigate the Institution’s human resource which includes assessing the ratio of academic to non-academic staff, validating the processes for staff recruitment and promotions, and ensuring there is no lopsidedness or violation of civil service rules, among ot
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