20 Years After: Taraba College of Education, Convocates 19, 700
By Lynn Adda
The Taraba State College of Education, Zing has held its combined Convocation ceremony for a total of 19 thousand, Seven Hundred graduates of the institution after about twenty years.
Investigation showed that the last Convocation ceremony was held in 1994 when the College was still operating in Jalingo, the state capital.
The entire atmosphere in the College was that of joy and merriment for both the staff and the convocating students due to the long awaited event.
Equally disturbed by the development, the Visitor to the institution and Taraba State Governor, Dr Agbu Kefas directed that henceforth, convocations must be held annually in all tertiary institutions in the state.
He stressed the commitment of his administration to make the College of Education, Zing the statewide hub for teacher training, ordering the College Management to set up a Committee for the implementation of the directive.
While commending the Leadership of the College for its sustained efforts towards educational excellence, Governor Kefas stressed the significant role of education in empowering youth and fostering a community centered on growth, inclusivity and integrity.
He congratulated the graduates for the feats achieved, advising them to cultivate service oriented mindsets by acknowledging that true fulfillment stems from making a positive difference in the lives of others, which is beyond mere personal attainment.
The Governor therefore charged them to be good ambassadors of the institution.
The Governor who used the occasion of the combined convocation ceremony to speak on the policy direction of his government, reiterated his administration’s commitment to an educational reforms agenda that seeks to build a future – where quality education is accessible and affordable to all.
He observed that true wealth encompasses more than the state’s natural resources and economic growth potential, saying it also resides in the intellectual and creative talents of the people.
In this vein, he said education remains the cornerstone of his administration’s development agenda, hence his government’s declaration of free and compulsory education in primary and secondary schools throughout the state.
Dr Kefas promised that he would uphold the principles of fairness, prevent sabotage, and prioritize merit-based decision-making over political agendas.
According to him, his administration is advancing initiatives for economic development, empowerment, and sustainability, emphasizing the crucial role graduates play in achieving this vision.
In his remarks, the Provost of the College, Prof. Ejika Sambo was full of praises for the Governor for his historic attendance at the ceremony, which he said underscores the college’s significance in achieving the Governor’s free education initiative.
The Taraba State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Comrade Matthew Eliud Jen, who spoke on behalf of the graduands, acknowledged the college’s significant contributions to their development, calling for more government investments in the institution.
Activities marking the day also include the commissioning of a CBT hall named after the Governor as well as other projects named after some personalities of the state who made significant contributions to the development of the college.
Governor Kefas had earlier on arrival, paid homage to the Kpanti Zing, Alhaji Suleiman Ibrahim Sambo at his Palace.
