Dr Yakubu Ali Garjila is the Provost/Rector Taraba state college of Agriculture, Science and Technology Jalingo.
In this interview with Nigerian Tribune in his office, he pleaded with Governor Agbu Kefas to declare a state of emergency on the institution to improve its standard.
For the purpose of our readers, can you please introduce yourself, sir?
I am Dr. Yakubu Ali Garjila. I held from Suntai, Donga local government area of Taraba state.
I was once a student of Taraba state college of Agriculture, now College of Agriculture, Science and Technology Jalingo. I later became a lecturer and now the Provost of the college.
Sir, you have been Provost for the past one and a half year now, can you please tell us how the journey has been so far?
Thank you. It has indeed been Soo challenging but I believe that the government of Governor Agbu Kefas would intervene in the situation. I meet dilapidated structures and many challenges in the institution so, to put them in order has been a challenge but I am hoping that with the coming of governor Agbu Kefas, things would be better.
When I assumed office as Provost, the road leading into the school premises was too poor but I was able to put it in a better shape that one can drive in. Another challenge was student enrollment. Student enrollment was so low but at least, there are gradual changes.
Sir, this institution was known as Taraba state college of Agriculture, but is now called, Taraba state college of Agriculture, Science and Technology. May we know what brought about the change in the name of the institution?
Yes, it was formerly the College of Agriculture because it was a mono-technic. But due to changes and how other states are operating and for us to meet the demands of studies and development, we decided to change the name of the college which the bill has been passed and assented to by the previous administration of Arc. Darius Ishaku. What is remaining is the gazetting which we have already forwarded the application to the government to gazette it.
If the college is been gazetted, we can apply things anywhere for the development of the institution and it will also add a sensor to access tetFund which will help grow the institution faster.
How has the operation of the college been now?
Yeah, we are making progress because new departments have been established. Formerly as a mono-technic, we were only running (11) courses but due to the change in name and the nomenclature of the college as science and technology, we now have 24 departments.
Although, the departments are not yet accredited because the new name for the college has not been gazetted. It has to follow some Processed in which we have submitted everything to the Board of technical education (NBT) headquarters in Kaduna. It is now left for the NBT to come and see the school structures and staff available. Once that is done, we can go to Abuja and access tetFund like other institutions in Nigeria.
How true is this information that your institution is producing fertilizer?
No, it’s not true. We are not producing fertilizer. What we normally do is train the student on how to manufacture organic fertilizer which is made from either cow dump or chicken drop. We encourage farmers to go for organic fertilizer due to its low cost in price.
Can you rate the state government’s attention toward improving the standard of this institution?
Well, it’s been Soo challenging but I have 100 per cent confidence in Governor Agbu Kefas that he would intervene. I have already put up my request to the government on how they can come in and make the college move forward and become great.
The college is the first higher institution in Taraba to produce corps members (NYSC), but the college is now behind other higher institutions of learning in the state in terms of infrastructure.
We have no hostels for student accommodation and whenever NBT comes for accreditation, the first thing they make is hostels so, I would like Governor Agbu to intervene. If students are staying in the hostels, they can read more comfortably and become greater than they used to be.
As soon as is night, you can no longer see any students in the library because they are not sleeping in the school.
To be specific, what would you want the government of Governor Agbu Kefas to do to improve the standard of the college?
First of all, I want the governor to please gazette the new name of the college which is, (Taraba state college of Agriculture, Science and Technology Jalingo). If the new name is gazetted and we start getting funds from tetFund, the state government would rest.
I wish to appeal that the government should intervene in the general infrastructural situation of the college. Since the inception of the college, there has not been a male hostel. Even the female one is very poor which is not befitting for the institution.
We want Governor Agbu to build lecture theatres for the college. We do not have lecture theatres for conducive learning. We lack access road here. Even the road leading to the college poultry house has been cut off. The poultry house itself has been blown off by wind so, governor Agbu Kefas should also intervene in the situation.
We have been having reports of theft on a frequent base because the college is not fence. Just yesterday, the newly Commissioned Soler borehole was attacked by vandals when it was raining last night. It was the grace of God that the college security spotted the criminals and cheesed them away so, we want the college to be fenced.
We applied to the North-East Development Commission but they kept promising us till now. Even in the previous administration, we applied but there was no positive response.
How can you rate the attitude and academic performance of your students?
Sincerely, the students are doing great both in theories and practices. They are ready to learn and make Taraba proud.
Their challenge is the lack of a conducive learning environment. Their attitudes are indeed controllable with no form of social vices.
-Tribuneonline
