By Sylvester Egede
The Chairman, House Committee on Education and member representing Ebonyi North West Constituency, Hon. Barr. Aloysius Nwodo, has reaffirmed the commitment of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to advancing education in the state. He gave this assurance during an oversight visit to the Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo, EBSCOEI.
Nwodo stated that the purpose of the visit was to evaluate the operational status of the institution—its achievements and challenges with a view to supporting its growth.
He assured the Provost and management of the college that the Committee was not on a fault-finding mission but rather to foster positive transformation in line with the educational vision of Governor Francis Nwifuru, under the Peoples’ Charter of Needs mantra.
“We are here to make things work for the better. We want you to feel free and open up on your challenges so we can work together for the good of our education sector," he said.
The Committee Chairman commended the Provost of the college, Prof. Benedict Mbam, for his visionary leadership and the tangible progress made under his watch.
Other members of the committee, including the Deputy Chief Whip, Arinze Lucas Chukwu; Obinna Mbam of Izzi East Constituency; and Victor Nwoke representing Abakaliki North, also applauded the Governor for his proactive role in enhancing education and urged the college to explore strategies to boost student enrollment.
In his response, Prof. Mbam disclosed that 21 programmes in the college have been accredited since he assumed office in 2019. He added that over 100 staff members have undergone training under intervention programmes, and many are now pursuing their PhD degrees.
Mbam also highlighted key infrastructure projects initiated during his tenure, including a 200-computer ICT center, a 36-apartment female hostel, and a two-storey academic complex. A perimeter fence has also been erected to enhance security and protect vital facilities.
The Provost acknowledged, however, that challenges persist. These include low student enrollment, inadequate funding, insufficient staffing, and lack of mobility for principal officers. He called on the Assembly Committee to assist in addressing these issues to sustain the progress made so far.
In a vote of thanks, the Registrar of the College, Mr. Emmanuel Akpukwa, appreciated the committee for what he described as a timely and encouraging visit.
— Egede Sylvester Ikechukwu is the Public Relations Officer of Ebonyi State House of Assembly.
