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 * History of FCE Yola****

The Federal College of Education, FCE Yola was established in 1974, as a middle level Teacher Training Institute. Hitherto, it was known as Federal Advance Teacher's College, (FATC) Yola. However, actual academic activities commenced during the 1975/76 session, with a total of one hundred and fifty (150) students under the leadership of the Pioneer Principal Mr. C. Pollock, an expatriate from England. At the time, the college was under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Education. Mr, Pollock, as the Pioneer Principal, laid a solid foundation for the smooth take off of the college and he completed his tenure in 1982.

Mr. M.C. Okoye succeeded Mr. Pollock as the next Principal of the college. He was the principal of the college from 1982 - 1984 and the name of the institution was changed from Federal Advance Teacher’s College     (FATC) Yola to Federal College of Education Yola around 1984 in line with other Federal Colleges of Education and the title of the head of the school was also upgraded from Principal to the Provost before Mr. Wagabi O. Shittu, was appointed as the next Provost of the college from 1984 - 1987. It is often contentious to determine who was the first Provost of FCE Yola. However, the compromise is that the last Principal of FATC Yola is Mr Okoye and he is also the first Provost of FCE Yola. It is equally fair to say that Mr W.O. Shittu was the first Provost to complete a whole term as a Provost. After, Mr. Shittu came Prof. Gidado Tahir in 1987, Prof. Mustapha Abba's tenure in 1996 and Dr. Aminu Chiroma in 2004. Dr. Aminu Chiroma was the first home bred Chief Executive of the college. He rose through the ranks from Assistant Lecturer to Chief Lecturer which gave him added advantages on how to attend to the academic and administrative needs of the college. Dr. Chiroma has lifted the college to a higher pedestal, as he touched all aspects of the College. The college has seen tremendous infrastructural development and road network as well as staff development.

The Federal College of Education, Yola has established full degree programmes from the 2013/2014 academic season.

According to a statement from the college signed by the institution’s public relation officer, Mallam Bashiru Abdullahi, the degree programmes will be affiliated to University of Maiduguri.

Speaking at the matriculation, the Provost of the College, Professor Abdul-Mumin Sa’ad, called on students to work hard so that they can be admitted into the newly introduced degree programme to further their studies.

The Provost stressed that the college was at the forefront of e-learning and ICT development, calling on the students to avail themselves with the facilities in the college such as the virtual library, speedy wireless internet services, e-classrooms, among others to build on their careers.

Prof. Sa’ad also charged the matriculating students to reciprocate the gesture by being of good character, shunning anti –social activities such as cultism or occultism, sexual misbehaviour, drug abuse and examination malpractice.

The Registrar of the College, Fa’iza A. Ahmed, administered the matriculating oath on the newly admitted students in the academic year 2013.

Furthermore, “The Federal College of Education, Yola” was established by the Adamawa State Government in 2008, to widen access to University education for Adamawa State indigenes and promote economic development in the country. Right from inception, the University set out for itself a goal that is captured in its motto – HARNESSING NATURES GIFT. The University is guided, by the national and international manpower needs usually accredited by the National Universities Commission, Abuja.

Like other Universities all over the world, this institution strives to ensure that its products receive quality programmes. To this end, it had always subjected itself to the “peer review” of its programs. Curricula developed are of relevance to the nation as well as being up to date with modern academic trends. Council’s supervision in matters of finance and discipline of staff also ensure that this University is accountable to the University system.

ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTATIVE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY

The academic structure of the University consists of Faculty organized Research Units and relevant Teaching and Research Support Units. The department is the basic unit of academic organization aimed at enhancing interaction between related disciplines in the university. Though each unit of academic discipline is an organizational entity, they all have common teaching and research interests through the spirit of cooperative and inter-disciplinary research and the development of group effort.

The administrative set up of a school is centered on the Dean’s Office, while the departments concentrate essentially on academic matters and pursuits. The overall affairs of the University are guided by the Council in policy and financial matters while the Senate determines all academic matters.

The Vice-Chancellor is the Chief Executive of the University and supervises the academic and administrative operations of the University under the directive and /or advice of relevant committees. Such committees include the Council and its Committees, the Senate and its Committees, council/Senate joint Committees, Faculty Boards, Administrative Committees and other Statutory Committees.

Apparently, FCEY now awards full degree programmes and this initiative commenced in 2008 after tried and tested Sandwich Degree programmes to boost the profile of the local indigenes.

My (Bayo Aderibigbe) last visit to FCE Yola in the earlier part of this century was very different because the federal character and features are swiftly fading away. The indigenous uptake has increased rampantly and I doubt if I could reconnect the once diverse magic. I visited the science laboratories which still looked intact and I was moved to see the Biology and Chemistry Laboratory attendants still standing but aged gracefully. They were the only remnants of the history we enjoyed from the inception of the institution till the early 90s of the last century. May I conclude that FCEY does not command that federal character that we enjoyed any more. There is a significant and apparent local influence from the Adamawa state government and the new university status of FCEY is carefully supervised by University of Maiduguri and not Ahmadu Bello university as it was in those days. This is advantageous because it creates educational opportunities for the local people but it is somehow sad because FCEY has lost that unique federal character and diversity that placed it on the world map. The 1975-1995 sets enjoyed that unique diversity that encouraged people from different parts of the nation to come out of their niches to associate with the great city of Yola in a quest for academic excellence.

A brief history about FCEY