Governor Lawal lauds FCET’s role in Zamfara education reform

Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has praised the Federal College of Education Technical (FCET) in Gusau for its critical role in training and producing qualified teachers for public schools in the state. He made these remarks during a courtesy visit by the FCET Governing Council to the Government House.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration between the state government and FCET Gusau to enhance educational development in Zamfara.

Governor Lawal expressed his appreciation for the institution’s contributions, saying, “The people of Zamfara State have greatly benefited from the Federal College of Education Technical Gusau, including five of my sisters who are graduates of the institution.”

Reflecting on the state of education in Zamfara, Lawal noted that the sector had long been underperforming, often competing with Yobe State for the lowest ranking in the country. He said this poor performance led him to declare a state of emergency in education last year. The Governor highlighted past challenges, including the failure of the previous administration to pay examination fees for NECO and WAEC for over three years. However, he assured that these debts had now been settled.

Lawal also pointed to recent successes, particularly the state’s outstanding performance in the NECO entrance examination for gifted students, where Zamfara emerged as the best-performing state in northern Nigeria and the second-best nationwide. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring access to quality education for all children in Zamfara, with ongoing efforts to renovate and construct over 290 schools across the state, as well as improve school facilities and provide continuous training for teachers.

The Governor emphasised the key role FCET plays in these efforts, noting that the institution is integral to enhancing teacher capacity and overall education quality in the state. “We will work in synergy to revamp the educational system of Zamfara State,” he declared.

Earlier in the meeting, the Chairman of the FCET Governing Council, Prof. Muhammad Bashir Nuhu, commended Governor Lawal for prioritising education in his administration. He described the college as a prestigious institution, recalling its unique position as the only one of its kind at the time of its establishment in the federation. Prof. Nuhu acknowledged the Governor’s decisive actions to improve the education sector, particularly the declaration of an emergency, which has brought about positive changes.

The Chairman also praised the governor’s wife, Huriyya Dauda, for her contributions to education, highlighting her sponsorship of 20 students at the college and her donation of three computers to the top three graduating students.