The lawmaker representing Toro/Jama’a Constituency in the Bauchi State House of Assembly, Tukur Ibrahim, has called on the state government to as a matter of fairness, equity and justice, site a higher institution in Toro Local Government Area of the state or in the interim, move a campus of any of the state-owned higher institutions to the area.
Ibrahim made the call while moving a motion at the State Assembly on Tuesday.
Leading debate on the motion, the lawmaker explained that the local government had the oldest school in Bauchi State, the famous Teachers College, Toro, which was established in 1928, with over 1,000 primary schools, four boarding schools and 14 government-owned secondary schools as well as many private secondary schools which churned out school leavers every year.
Despite these, the lawmaker lamented that Toro has not benefitted from the government locating any of the campuses of the state-owned tertiary institutions or even a full-fledged tertiary institution in the LGA.
According to him, “It is disheartening to note that upon all these long history and record that we have in education, none of the campuses of the tertiary institutions of the state is sited in Toro, talk of a tertiary institution. Politically, Toro produces the highest votes, our people should be compensated.”
He then appealed to the state government to direct the Ministry of Education to establish a tertiary institution in Toro or on the interim site a campus of any existing tertiary institution in the local government area.
In his contribution, the member representing Disina State Constituency, Saleh Hodi Jibir, submitted that there was the need to establish a campus of any of the state tertiary institutions in Toro due to its population and history of education in the state which cannot be completed without mentioning Teachers’ College, Toro.
While the member representing Bogoro State Constituency, Musa Wakili Nakwada, declared that Toro LGA deserved more than a campus but a full-fledged tertiary institution, Yunusa Ahmad, representing Warji Constituency said Toro was large and had many secondary schools, adding that establishing campus or new tertiary institution was capital intensive.
Ahmad said the state Commissioner for Education, hailed from Toro LGA and had told the House that he was an advocate of cut in the cost of governance in the state and even deboarded some secondary schools in the state to cut costs.
He submitted that government should not establish additional campus or tertiary institutions in the state
On his part, Bello Muazu Shira, representing Shira Constituency, advised that it would be better to look at educationally backward areas to site such campuses, arguing that Toro is strong in terms of education and close to some states that have many tertiary institutions.
Yusuf Muhammad Bako, representing Pali Constituency, argued that Toro is a neighbour to Plateau State and due to the insecurity in the country, it is risky for students to travel to Jos for studies.
He suggested that one tertiary institution should be established in Toro as people are vulnerable to insecurity when they go to Jos for studies.
Baballe Abubakar Dambam said that there were criteria for siting tertiary institutions in the state, adding that if Toro met the criteria, there should be no problem in citing one there.
He suggested that the motion should be referred to House Committee on Education, a suggestion that was agreed to by the House which then referred the motion to the committee
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