The pro-chancellor and chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Education, Kano (FUEK), Prof. Adamu Ahmed, has said establishing universities of education in Nigeria will usher in a new era of excellence in the education sector.
He spoke yesterday during the council‘s inaugural meeting with the university‘s management in Kano.
Prof Ahmed commended the federal government‘s decision to upgrade the former Federal College of Education, Kano and Federal College of Education, Zaria, to universities of education. He described the move as a timely response to the growing need for specialised institutions focused on education.
The conversion of these institutions into universities of education is justified by the pressing need to focus on the intellectual growth of education disciplines, often constrained within conventional universities,“ Prof Adamu stated.
He added that these new universities carry the hopes of a region desperate for improvement in its education landscape, stressing that they can no longer be neglected.
Drawing parallels with progress in sectors like health, agriculture, and transportation, Prof Adamu elaborated on the benefits of the upgrade, saying, „Stand-alone universities of education will allow greater specialisation, enhancing teacher education quality and contributing to national development.
Isolating education disciplines into dedicated universities will foster innovation in teaching methods and educational research, leading to better-prepared educators and a more robust educational system.“
He also commended the institutions‘ management for maintaining industrial harmony and facilitating a smooth transition during the period of transformation. He highlighted the historical significance of FUEK and Federal University pf Education, Zaria, founded in the early 1960s as pioneering teacher-training establishments.
