The Secretary to the State Government, SSG Adamawa state, Engr Bashiru Ahmad has won the ‘Best Supporting SSG Award bestowed on him by Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) northeast zone.
According to the union, the award was in recognition of his selfless service and patriotism to the country, especially in the education sector, in addition to his sacrifice in instilling knowledge in the younger generation.
The award was presented to him during the 15th National Conference and Learning alongside the launching of 14th Edition of Sahel Journal of Teacher Education (SJTE) of COEASU northeast zone, which was held at Federal College of Education (FCE) Yola, Tuesday.
Declaring the Conference opened, SSG Ahmad expressed concern on the fallen standard of education, especially at secondary school level and called on colleges of education to come up with programmes to address the menace.
“What I have seen in our secondary schools in particular, is not satisfactory in all standards, for that training institutions must rejig their curriculum and come up with training programmes for teachers at that level,” he said.
This, he said, would enable the teachers to be updated with advancements in teaching methods, which he believed would no doubt contribute positively to the improved standard of education.
According to him, no society would meaningfully progress above the level of education of its citizens; stressing that for the nation to move the sector to its rightful position, teachers must be trained and retrained in that regard.
“There is no alternative to quality and functional education in any society. For us to move education to its rightful direction, we must train and retrain as well as inculcate good values and cultures in our teachers.
“What I know from the National Policy on Education, it is at the secondary level that education starts, in the primary, what we are taught is how to read, write, solve simple arithmetic and communicate effectively,” he said.
Ahmad further said Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri led administration has prioritised education in all ramifications, saying a lot has been done to improve the sector.
He thanked the COEASU for considering him with the award, saying it would spur him to double up efforts in championing the course of education and service to humanity for the development of the state and Nigeria as a whole.
In his remarks, the Provost Federal College of Education, (FCE) Yola, Dr Muhammad Degereji said the conference came at the right time and lauded COEASU for shifting its attention to problem solving techniques in teaching and learning.
In his welcome address, former National President of COEASU, Comrade Auwal Mohammed said the annual conference is a tradition of the union that only the northeast zone keeps it for 15 years.
The theme for this year is “Paradigm Shift in Teacher Education for Social Cohesion, National Development and Productivity in the 21st Century.”
Meanwhile, the State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Afraimu Jingi has presented the award to SSG, Ahmad in his office in Yola.
Barrister Jingi has received the award on behalf of the SSG during the event at Federal College of Education, (FCE) Yola, Tuesday.