Bauchi gov pladges more support to ATBU for educational excellence

From Nasir Shuaibu BAUCHI

Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has assured the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU Bauchi) of the continued support and cooperation of his administration towards the realization of the common goal of attainment of educational excellence.

Mohammed gave the assurance at the commissioning ceremony of classrooms, laboratory and office blocks at Gubi and Yelwa campuses of the University Thursday in Bauchi. Noted that, provision of such important infrastructures are testimony of the commitment of the institution to ensure conducive environment for teaching and learning.

Governor Bala Mohammed who applauded the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) for its relentless support to tertiary education institutions towards the attainment of academic excellence, said construction of classrooms and office blocks as well as other facilities would not only provide conducive working environment, but would also strike a balance between academic and administrative activities in the university.

He recalled that, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi which started as a College of the Ahmadu Bello University in the early 1980s, has over the years grown to become a citadel of learning that can be favorably compared with even the first generation universities and added that, with the increase in the number of both academic and nonacademic staff in the university, the need arose for more offices to adequately accommodate them.

Represented by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Auwal Jatau, Governor Bala Mohammed noted that ATBU Bauchi has lived up to expectations by prudently deploying its resources to infrastructural development and pointed out that, his administration’s commitment to the educational sector has been unwavering as reflected in the various policies and programmes implemented in the sector.

“I would like to commend the governing Council, the Senate and Management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University for working hard to make the Institution one of the best not only among its contemporaries but even among the first generation universities in the country. Today, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University can boast of two campuses where various courses are seamlessly run.”

The Governor told the gathering that in pursuit of accessible primary education, the state government has undertaken the construction of over five thousand classrooms, thereby creating an environment conducive to learning for young minds.

According to him, in recognition of the pivotal role teachers and administrators play, the administration has engaged in comprehensive training and capacity- building programmes, forming partnerships with the Federal Government and donor agencies to uplift the standard of state’s educators.

He said considering that education is the bedrock of progress and development of every society, his administration has since its inception in 2019, invested a lot of resources to address decay in the education sector and has been providing infrastructural facilities and necessary support to its primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions to ensure hitch-free academic activities.

Governor Bala Mohammed noted that facilities have been provided at the State University which include construction of 3 Kilometers of road at the Gadau Campus, extension of power supply to faculty of Basic Medical Sciences and procurement of laboratory equipment and reagents and collaboration with TEFFUND to improve existing structures and build new ones.

He also said the state-owned tertiary institutions of learning have also not been left out in an effort to ensure educational excellence as government has been supporting the institutions towards the achievement of full accreditation of their courses, provision of physical infrastructure and supply of office equipment and furniture in collaboration with TETFUND, training and retraining of staff to acquire Masters and PhD degrees and ensuring proficiency in teaching.

In a welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Muhammad Abdulaziz, represented by Professor Sani Kunya expressed gratitude to the administration of Governor Bala Mohammed for supporting the university to achieve its objectives which will go along way towards ensuring the educational development of the state.