FCE Zaria refutes claim on non payment of affiliation fees

The attention of the Management of Federal College of Education, Zaria has been drawn to an online publication concerning late issuance of results to graduating students of the College by the Institution. The information contained in the New Nigerian Newspapers Online report, dated 28th November, 2022, and authored by one Sani Aliyu, erroneously suggested among other claims that, a certain Concerned Parents’ Forum expressed agitations over delayed issuance of their childrens results due to nonpayment of affiliation fees to the mother Universities, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

It is imperative to clarify the issue and the position of the College, in the light of verifiable facts already available before the public, as against what is clearly a deliberate attempt to mischievously misrepresent facts, over a larger intent to bring the Institution to disrepute. For the benefit of the discerning public, the College is not owing affiliation fees to the two Universities, as all payment obligations have been met with evidences in the custody of both the College and the Universities of affiliation. 

On assumption of office, in Acting Capacity, the Provost of the College advanced complete backlog of affiliation fees to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in the 2020/21 session, and proceeded to consolidate on the College’s obligation for the subsequent 2021/22 session; for which it received a Letter of Commendation by the University’s authority, for being the first Provost of all the affiliated Colleges to pay their affiliation fees for the 2021/2022 academic session. Similarly, the sum of ₦3.4 Million was paid to Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) as affiliation fee for 2021/2022 academic session, including outstanding liability payment for 2018/2019 academic session.

As far back as at 11th of May, 2022, UDUS wrote to the Provost, acknowledging the payment of Moderation exercise fees for 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academic sessions. At different instances, the two Universities openly acknowledged during the matriculation ceremonies of their respective affiliated students in the College, that, Dr. Suleiman Balarabe, the Provost of Federal College of Education, Zaria has settled all affiliation fees.

The report, in all of its inconsistencies, failed to affirm any corroboration of its assertions from the College, affiliating Universities or any other entity of interest before proceeding to publish. As a universal, timeless canon, the place of verification and fact finding is sacred and secured in responsible journalism. It is therefore disturbing that, a medium whose heritage has been built on the legacies and virtues of the nations foremost visionaries will be reduced to guess work, where all parties to the confirmation are within its reach.

Importantly, it is disturbing that, the place of the medium in public enlightenment is lost on both the author and the papers gatekeepers. For instance, the report suggested that some students had submitted an appeal to National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) for its intervention, where in actual sense, the paper owes the public the enlightenment that, Colleges running affiliation programmes do not produce Degree Certificates for issuance to graduates, nor mobilize students for the compulsory one year NYSC. While the Degree programmes are regulated by the National Universities Commission (NUC), only the two Universities the College is affiliating with can issue Certificates and mobilize students for NYSC. The Universities are yet to release results of all affected students, and, as such, the students are enjoined to keep up their patience and join hands with the College towards prosperity. The Provost has done, and is doing his best towards enhancing the Undergraduate Programmes. He needs our support, compliance and prayers to achieve this.

Beyond meeting its statutory and financial obligations in full and in good time, the College has long considered the unbundling of the Undergraduate Unit for greater efficiency as part of its overall service delivery compact. The Provost initiated the splitting of the Unit into two separate Deaneries, one for A.B.U and the other for UDUS, each with its respective Dean. This, among other measures, ensured the relief of age long workload, including recalibration of the Units’ staff, through regular capacity development engagements and overall equipping of the Units, with the necessary facilities and gadgets.

It would be recalled that, during the eight-months ASUU strike, out of empathy and compassion for students, the Provost invited Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria to the College for the consideration of students’ results. Setting the pace for other Colleges of Education affiliating with the University. The Dean, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto affiliation, during the strike was always on Sokoto road, in the interest of the students’ regularization and results issues. Another thing to understand and reason with is that, the College does not have JAMB CAPS for UDUS, everything is processed by the University.

The Management is concerned with an emerging breed of journalism that does not consider the sanctity of facts from verification. While we shall not relent in meeting all obligations and playing the parts required by the statutes in meeting our service delivery compact, we shall also not be dissuaded by journalism of malice and insinuations, as we call on members of the public to be vigilant and more discerning.

Public Relations Unit,

Federal College of Education, Zaria

30th November, 2022.