President Mohammadu Buhari, recently during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting approved the establishment of 20 more private universities in the country. The approval for the establishment of these universities saw Plateau State having additional two higher institutions of learning which includes the Karl Kum University located in Vom, Kuru in Jos South Local Government Area and ANAN University located in Kwall, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, writes BULUS GAMBO.
THE authorities of these earlier proposed institutions had applied to the government to be given operational licenses for the establishment of such schools. To the best of my knowledge, both the leadership of Karl Kum University and that of ANAN University had before now intimated relevant bodies that it has structural facilities to commence operations if and when given the opportunity to do so.
Accordingly, the two universities alongside other 18 would according to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu receive their provisional operational licenses from the National Universities Commission, (NUC) which they will use for three years under monitoring and evaluation purposes by regulatory bodies. In terms of geographical spread, nine of the institutions are located in the North Central, three in the South South, two in the South East and five in the North West.
Interestingly, also within the same week, the presidency granted another approval for the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic in Shendam, where it is anticipated would add to the desirous educational and employment quest of the citizens of the area and of the state at large. As a show of commitment, the Federal Government through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, (TETfund) under the leadership of Professor Suleiman Bogoro as its Executive Secretary was instructed to commit about two billion naira to ensuring infrastructural and other requirements for the smooth take off of the institution in no distant time.
Though Plateau State has over the years boast of having a federal and state universities including other vibrant institutions of higher education in the state, these schools had not been enough to cater for the teeming population of applicants. Even as these institutions’ admission capacity are overstretched, several other students are left roaming our streets which had not been in the best interest of the citizenry in the state.
Over the years, it has also been quite challenging securing admission for the increasing number of students into the University of Jos. After each admission, many other qualified students are left out of the system due to inadequate space to accommodate them.
When the Plateau State University Bokkos was eventually approved and it started its operational obligations, we all thought that it will by far reduce the stress of admission in the state, but till date it has but achieved only little to this effect. This perhaps necessitated the quest for the establishment of the Karl Kum University by the leadership of the Church of Christ in Nations, (COCIN).
No doubt in the past decades, COCIN has continued to take pragmatic steps towards the provision and uplifting of contemporary educational standard in the state and the nation at large. Thus, many beneficiaries of COCIN established schools have continued to contribute their quota to both national integration and development of the nation. It is no surprise therefore that the Church decided years back to establish a full fledge university to enable the Church consolidate on its efforts in impacting both moral and educational values on the people of the nation.
The efforts of the church has therefore been recently paid off through the approval by the president for activities to commence in Karl Kum University, Vom in the state. This most recent development has also consolidated the vision of the church towards providing more job opportunities to the citizens of the state and the nation at large.
Since the coming of the college of Accountancy to Plateau State, the dream of stakeholders was for it to spread its professional tentacles towards molding professional accountants in the state. After analyzing the past achievements of the school coupled with its quest in expanding its scope and gripe through the intellectual institutionalization of its courses, some of us had consistently prayed for the actualization of the long awaited quest for the establishment of ANAN University in the state.
By every standard, Plateau State long time before now had deserved many of such institutions of higher learning in the state. This is because of the several both national and international records the citizens have created in the annals of the state since its creation. Beyond this, these recent achievements recorded through the granting of operational licenses for the kick-starting of two universities not forgetting that of the federal polytechnic in Shendam should be appreciated by all.
Even though this historic development would not have come at a better time than now, yours sincerely wished the former Military Governor of Plateau State, Police Commissioner, Joseph Dechi Gomwalk was alive to witness this. When he was the military Governor of Plateau and Benue State, Gomwalk did everything possible to ensure that his state got a functional university but certain unforeseen forces made sure it never was.
Before he eventually left the scene after his meritorious service, Gomwalk ensured that that of the University of Jos was achieved though affiliated with the University of Ibadan. Today, history is being created during the tenure of the incumbent Governor Simon Bako Lalong. Apart from the existing University of Jos, Plateau State University Bokkos including several other state owned higher institutions of learning, the Federal Government has deemed it fit to provide licenses for the establishment of two more universities in the state including the creation of a Federal Polytechnic in Shendam.
Indeed, this development is one of the best things that has happened to the state in recent years. It is so because of the fact that a state like Plateau had for a long time deserved the presence of more institutions of higher learning. This development would also provide job opportunities for the citizens of the state which is quite appreciating.
However, none of us should take this opportunity for granted knowing too well that any politicization of this great feat would cause the citizens a lot. Rather, the citizens of the state must rally round all stakeholders and decision makers who are or may be involved in the actualization of the project to play their own part irrespective of religious and or political differences.
As far as the establishment of these institutions are concerned, credit must only be given to God who has deemed it fit to touch the hearts of our leaders to provide these facilities in the state. Certainly, though it is President Buhari who granted licenses for these schools to commence operational activities, let’s be mindful of the fact that this institutions were not created for either APC or PDP members and families alone. It was not created for COCIN or ANAN members and their families alone but the entirety of qualified Plateau people and Nigerians.
Therefore, the responsibility of nurturing all these institutions to maturity is the collective responsibility of the entire citizens of the state. In this regard, all stakeholders anticipated to handle any mandated responsibility must be diligent in executing this all important assignment. We should not allow pettiness to overwhelm our sense of reasoning to the extent that we forget to do the needful in ensuring that no stone is left unturned towards convincing the Federal Government that these high institutions of learning have come to stay on the Plateau.
During admissions, authorities of these schools must also ensure that the children of the common man are considered and offered the same opportunity with the children of the elites in the state.
While we celebrate the Plateau State government, the leadership of COCIN and ANAN over this great feat, they all must be at their best in the interest of the common man while synergizing towards bringing out the best in all these recently established institutions of learning. It is also our prayer that we will live to see more of these developmental strides in no distant time on the Plateau and the nation at large.
