By Jedidah Silas Kiman
Gombe
The new Gombe state College of Education, Billiri, has taken off fully with over 996 students undergoing orientation as pioneers.
Blueprint gathered that the orientation programme would cover various topics on the effects of drugs, exams conducts, fire disaster control, cultism, talks on HIV/AIDS, library/study skills, administrative structure and channels of communication, as well as security tips and dress codes.
Delivering a remarks at the opening ceremonies, chairman of the occasion and Provost of the Adamawa State College of Education, Dr. Johnson Haniel Pongri, urged the people of Billiri and environs to take advantage of the college by working hard to set a high educational standard and also enhance the economic growth of the area.
In his address, the Permanent Secretary, Gombe state Ministry for Higher Education, Dr. Daniel Musa, said the government was willing to ensure that the college was accorded with all it might need for a conducive learning environment.
Musa also announced that the government intended to cover the hostel needs of the institution, through its Phase II plan of the government, which is intended to be concluded by the first quota of next year.
“The state government will continue in its great efforts to ensure that, all that is needed to make teaching and learning conducive in this institution is attained,” he said.
He encouraged staff and students to work hard and ensure that they produced marketable graduates that would compete favourably with the best in the world.
Also speaking, Provost, Dr. Esrom Toro Jokthan, said the school had to screen 4, 001 applicants, through various stages, for posts of academic staff and came out with only 67 in order to guarantee high quality graduates.
He called on the state government for more support to enable the college raise the necessary infrastructure, in order to attain the standard environment for both students and staff to achieve quality education.
