PROVOST COE ZING ADVOCATES FOR MORE FUNDING, MATRICULATES 1,300 NEW STUDENTS
Tertiary institutions in Taraba State are operating under very strenuous conditions following the implementation of the much-admired but unrealistic free education policy of the Kefas Agbu-led administration. When the policy was pronounced one and a half years ago, the management of schools and institutions thought that the government was going to augment the shortfall, which looked like a kind of palliative to both parents and children. Ironically, things did not go down well as expected.
In an interview with the Provost of College of Education Zing during the 46th Matriculation ceremony held on April 9, 2025, Professor Ejika Sambo, a pragmatic administrator who assumed leadership of the institution two years ago, lamented the traumatic experiences faced by his administration in trying to reposition the College to its proper status.
The Provost explained the additional difficulties encountered since the declaration of the reduction of school fees. Initially, the school fees was ₦30,000, but it has been reduced to ₦15,000. Yet, subheads which students were paying did not change, while the resources to cater for them have been removed. For instance, out of the ₦15,000, there is an amount for maintenance of facilities. The production of identity cards, which was ₦700 two years ago, now costs ₦2,000, yet we are collecting ₦1,000. Can it work for this production? Other expenses like electricity bills, payment of casual staff, local running and fueling of vehicles, replacement of electric bulbs, and provision of water (Zing environs has issues with water scarcity) were all taken care of from the school fees.
According to him, “What do you think will happen if these areas I have mentioned cannot be serviced because of lack of funds?” In view of this, the Provost appealed to the State Government to reconsider this approach and either review or provide some funds to augment the shortfall.
The Provost stated that the Governor has directed all institutions to look inward and generate other means of generating Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) apart from school fees. During the Commissioner’s visit, they were shown the Home Economics department, where the cafeteria and machines are ready for outdoor services and training from the public, so that they can also generate funds.
The Provost has also called on the political class to patronize the institution by sending in youths from their various constituencies for training in skills acquisition and catering services, including automobile services. “They can learn and become mechanics of their own, the same thing with carpentry, etc.”
According to him, this year’s matriculation was deliberately designed to be low-key because of financial constraints. The number of students is limited, and they are still trying to see how they can mobilize more students. By the Grace of God, next year the number will increase hopefully because they will be introducing their dual-mode program by next academic session. As he spoke, the bill is with the State House of Assembly, and as soon as it is passed and assented to by the Executive Governor, they will implement it hopefully by June this year.
With that program, they will admit students for NCE and degree programs without affiliating to any university. With this, they are hopeful of having an increase in students. In the last two years, 2023, they admitted just 500 students for 13 programs; in 2024, they admitted 800, and this year 2025, they have 1,300 students admitted. Gradually, they are coming up, which is why they had a very beautiful but low-key celebration.
The Provost also threw light on the authenticity of the institution’s results, saying that so much security has been embedded in the certificate, fully secured. Even the result, the institution has tightened up ways of checking the original and fake.
