Bayelsa State College of Education is back to life

Bayelsa State College of Education is back to life
June 28, 2013

Recently, the Bayelsa State College of Education was not only renamed Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education to immortalise the Niger Delta legendary hero, but  relocated  to Sagbama local government  area  and  has consequently resumed for normal academic activities for 2012/2013  session, with  students and staff applauding Governor Dickson’s decision, writes  AHERHOKE OKIOMA

Normal academic activities have resumed at the permanent site of the Bayelsa state, Isaac Jasper Boro college of Education, Sagbama in Sagbama Local Government Area with a student population of 701 and 25 programs with introduction of Theatre Arts and Music as new courses. A source told Blueprint that students would soon matriculate awaiting formal accreditation of courses.

To this end a theatre Hall is to be constructed, and to forestall the fate that had earlier befallen it, this time around, a bill was signed into law not only for its relocation, but naming by the state governor who is a lawyer and former Attorney -General and Commissioner of Justice.

 The prayers in the lips of Bayelsans is that Sagbama should remain the permanent site which would not be changed when the government of Seriake Dickson comes to an end as it has become a norm in Nigeria history that every leader wants a higher institution to be sited in his area and no doubt the Sagbama choice was not an exemption to that consideration.if it were to be subjected to an opinion poll, majority of Bayelsans would have preferred  Okordia-Zarama where a similar institution was once sited and abandoned  with the facilities wasting away probably waiting for when somebody from there would become governor for it to be remembered.                                                                                                                                                          To kick start this citadel of knowledge the state governor appointed professor Savior Agora as the pioneer provost of Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education, Sagbama. Prof  Saviour Agoro who had lectured at the state owned  Niger Delta University and a pioneer staff of the Peremabiri Campus of Rivers State College of Education ,warned against truancy and absenteeism  among staff and urged them to show commitment and dedication to duties as the management of the institution was poised to provide a friendly and conducive atmosphere  for them to perform their functions  effectively.

In a maiden meeting with academic and non-academic staff he warned against truancy and lateness to duty. He declared” Those who are willing to work should prepare to make sacrifices that are associated with a new institution  and those who are not ready to face these challenges should resign their appointment now , we are here to work and will not beg anybody to work” he stressed.

The Bayelsa state college of Education has suffered policy somersault in the past that has resulted to its relocation to Agudama -Epie and later to Okpoama , the home town of Former Gov Timipre Sylva where for over an academic session,  the college could barely admit about 50 students. 

With over 200 lecturers, the students and staff were scared of the location, which was politically motivated until its relocation was revoked by the present administration of Governor Dickson who sited it in a more central upland area.

At that time, lecturers found it demoralizing after much research to meet an empty class, sometimes there will be no students at all to be taught and it’s lavish liaison office at Yenizue -Epie, Yenagoa became a veritable opportunity for staff to idle away their times , just as some only signed their attendance register daily and go home to Waite for the next day.

By Aherhoke Okioma
Source: blueprint newspaper online.