FG tasks varsity councils on policies

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Architect Sonny Echono, on Tuesday in Abuja, reminded her representatives on the governing councils of federal universities that they are either political or internal nominees and that as policy makers their business was to ensure strict adherence to government policies.

He said: “Every decision by Council should be in tandem with government’s statutory responsibility, as representatives, you must ensure absolute compliance and knowledge of extant laws and their allegiance to the Ministry”.

The Permanent Secretary, who declared open a day retreat for Education representatives on the Governing Councils of Federal Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria, further explained that education related issues should be their passion, noting that the tertiary institutions should be able to compete internationally; adding that issues related to institutional mandates, accreditation, teaching, research and training should be properly guided.

According to him, the retreat was a training ground to build the capacity of the new members, who are the Ministry’s representatives to Federal Tertiary Institutions and also a retraining for the existing representatives, who are already on various Councils.

He, therefore, urged that the knowledge acquired at the retreat should be fully utilised during council meetings and other issues, explaining that the retreat should serve as a platform to acquire information that will broaden representatives’ horizon and equip them with the required tools, needed to succeed. The era of placidity and ignorance on our part is fast gone, he added.

Speaking earlier, the Director Tertiary Education, Mr. Joel Ojo, in his remarks, commended the Ministry’s representatives on Governing Councils of federal tertiary institutions on their appointments.

He urged them to note that it was a call to duty and must be treated as such, explaining that on each Council they serve in, it is important to note that they are representing the education Minister.

Ojo further explained that their roles in the Council was to provide guidance, thereby imploring them to have versatile knowledge of the Civil Service Rules, the Procurement Act, amongst others, adding that there should be no compromise of the extant Laws governing the institutions.