SACOETEC: The Only Way Now is Forward

SACOETEC: The only way now is forward

NOTE: This article was first published on January 2, 2022. It has been brought back with updates in italics reflecting the situations in the College as of January 2025,

Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu, formerly Ogun State College of Education, Ijagun, and now Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology, is a special institution and has every right to lay claims to that.

Established in 1978, it remains the first tertiary institution in Ogun State and the only state-owned College of Education. It transformed from Ogun State College of Education to Tai Solarin College of Education and in affiliation with the University of Ibadan, ran degree courses alongside its NCE mandate. It transformed yet again when it became Tai Solarin University of Education. That is not all. The transformation continued when it was moved from Ijagun to Omu, and sequestered from the University of Education and her ancestral roots and sent to Omu in 2008, presumably as a new institution with enabling laws, as Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu-Ijebu. And again in 2022, by an act of the State Assembly, it has become Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology, in honour of the Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Ogbagba II.

PS: On November 22, 2022, The Governor of Ogun State officially unveiled Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology SACOETEC. The ceremony held in the palace of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Dr. Sikiru Kayode Adetona, Ogbagba II

This background is necessary to underscore the reason there had continued to be a confusion of the College of Education now in Omu-Ijebu, with the University of Education in Ijagun. This is one of the reasons for the decision to re-name the institution to stave confusions, some of which have been sensitive and costly. Another reason is the need to respond appropriately to the needs of the society of the 21^st century. But the mandate remains of a College of Education producing middle-level teachers but now also offering degree courses in affiliation with Olabisi Onabanjo University. The institution was last year named the best College of Education in Nigeria, a feat it first attained in 2007.

These transformations came at a very high cost and the institution has suffered greatly in the hands of successive administrations. The school suffered untold hardship on account of neglect and poor funding. There were many confrontations between unions and managements. Most memorable of these confrontations being that of 2018-2019 when the school ground to a stalemate as sections of the staff held the institution hostage and demanded government intervention to clear up accumulated salaries and arrears of salaries among other demands. It was in this desperate doldrums that Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR assumed office as the governor of Ogun State. Since then, he has not once taken his eyes off the affairs of the institution.

He immediately appointed a Visitation Committee to uncover the issues in the institution and to make recommendations. The Visitation Committee completed its task within the given time and among the events that followed were

1. The appointment and inauguration of a Governing Council for the institution led by the renowned Prince Adeyemi Adefulu MFR
2. The unbanning of all union activities and subsequent resumption of full unionism.
3. The holding of the combined Convocation Ceremony on December 12, 2019; the first since the College arrived in Omu in 2008
4. The strengthening of the Degree Programme with OOU, the first set of which is now in their final year.
5. Continuation of staff improvement with sponsorships by TETFUND for members of staff, both within the country and oversees
6. Improvements in the salary situation bringing it up to 75% and keeping it consistent
7. Populating of what is owed each member of staff in unpaid salaries and forwarding same to the state government.
8. Constant engagement with the Chairman of the Governing Council and interactions with the state government on the needs to address the salary situation and accumulated debts

The list goes on.

What is important is the forward-looking approach to stabilizing the College and placing it on a pedestal to become the envy of every other institution. The Council Chairman has never hidden his desire to see the College entrench itself in such a way as to challenge for resource generation. Thoughts like this gave rise to TASCE Investment Ltd, TASCE Press, TASCE Farms and TASCE Block Industry, all of them active.

The Council realized that affiliation with institutions and organizations that could help the school was desirable. This brought the affiliation with the prestigious University of Education Winneba and subsequent exchange programmes for staff development.

For a tertiary institution to produce graduates of any programme, such programmes must be accredited by the relevant bodies overseeing them. The situation the Provost of the institution, Dr. Adeola Kiadese Lukmon,  found when he assumed duty was a dwindling NCE population and nothing more. Even the NCE courses were not accredited and none of the efforts to run degree programmes in affiliation was yielding fruit. So began the accreditation drives. The outcomes have been astounding.

The College:

1. secured full accreditation of all her NCE programmes by the NCCE (National Commission for Colleges of Education).
2. received state government approval to commence a degree programme in affiliation with Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye
3. hosted the NUC (National Universities Commission) for resource assessment and having satisfied the requirements, the degree programme commenced with seven courses
4. hosted the Teacher Registration Commission of Nigeria (TRCN) and secured full accreditation
5. hosted and secured affiliation with Teach for Nigeria (TFN), this being a huge boost for the graduates of the institution and their lecturers
6. hosted accreditation teams from both Olabisi Onabanjo University and Tai Solarin University of Education, to expand the degree programme
7. hosted accreditation team of the NUC for the accreditation of the seven courses being run. The result is being awaited but is expected to be excellent
8. is expecting a resource assessment team from NUC in January 2022 to enable the take-off of additional courses.

Post Scripts:

NCE ACCREDITATION: The NCE accreditation has been renewed in 2024 following another full accreditation. All courses were fully accredited as the College recorded 100%

EXPANSION OF DEGREE COURSES: This has been secured. The College currently runs 15 courses all of which have graduated at least one set of students. The graduates of 2022/2023 are presently on NYSC while 2023/2024 are eagerly awaiting call-up.

Courses available in the Olabisi Onabanjo University affiliation are:

i. SCIENCE: Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Mathematics, Health Education, Physical Education

ii. ARTS & SOCIAL SCIENCES: Political Science, Economics, Geography, Social Studies

iii. VOCATIONAL & TECHNICAL EDUCATION: Business Education

iv. EDUCATION: Primary Education, Guidance and Counselling

v. LANGUAGES: English Language

TASUED: The College has completed resource assessment with Tai Solarin University of Education with intent to introduce 6 additional courses: 

SALARIES: In November 2024, the management commenced payment of 100% of the obtaining salary scale. The Unions were quick to point out to the Management that they were paying 100% of a very obsolete salary scale, needing to be discarded. Improvement on this is still being awaited. The management has commenced paying of arrears of salaries from years ago

ACCREDITATION: NUC teams have been in the College on four occasion. The outcome is that the College has secured full accreditation to run 15 courses.

The above have been listed at the risk of sounding like praise-singing. They have been listed to show discerning minds that the College has eyes on the future. No tertiary institution without plans to be relevant in this and the next century will take the pains of securing its base at such huge costs. The College has spent a fortune to achieve these basic foundations. At a point, the accreditors become advisers on how the dreams can be achieved having seen the determination of the institution.

As the courses are expanding and more ideas are being entertained, the infrastructure base is also rapidly expanding. In such a short space of time,

1. The School of Science state-of-the-art building has been completed and handed over. The facility is equipped to the brim
2. A 250-seater auditorium has been built and is presently the pride of College events
3. The School of Arts and Sciences building has just been completed, a massive structure
4. Renovations are ongoing in existing buildings including the School of Vocational and Technical Education.
5. Construction of a 1000-seater auditorium is commencing January 2022
6. Construction of 250-seater auditoriums for each of the five schools of the College is set to begin
7. The government has finally awarded the contract for the re-construction of the Ala-Omu Road which will ease the challenges of the College. The construction is billed to commence January 2022

POST SCRIPTS:

ROADS: Recent visitors will attest that the road from Ala across the face of the College is near completion. It is a concrete road being built by Dangote. Going by the care taken in building this road, it will last for 50 years wthout needing repairs. By implication, the entire road from Ijebu Ode to SACOETEC Omu-Ajose is a smooth ride and has helped a lot with admissions. 

BUILDINGS: More building have been completed, furnished and put to use in a massive infrastructure drive.

School of Science: Completed and fully equipped

School of Arts and Social Sciences: completed, furnished

250-seater auditorium (Obanta Hall) completed, furnished

4-phased   (Cross Shaped) Lecture Halls (Dr Abiodun Adebowale Ojo) completed

4-phased   (Cross Shaped) Lecture Halls 1000capacity: completed, furnished

500-seater Lecture Hall: completed furnished

250 seater Language Hall (Adeola Kiadese Lukmon Building) completed, furnished

1000-seater College Auditoium: completed, furnished

Engineering Complex: completed, fully equipped. 

The partnership with the Government of Denmark (fondly called the Danida Project) is set to commence and the construction of the road will help a lot. The Danida Project will turn TASCE to the biggest Aqua-Culture Centre in West Africa.

The efforts of the Governing Council also yielded a partnership with Songhai, the agriculture enterprise that has taken the world by storm.

It should be known that a College such as this cannot but have challenges. The Management has never denied this. The Governing Council Chairman has repeated spoken and written about these challenges. And the best part is that unlike previous governments who lived in denials, the present administration is not denying the statistics submitted by the Council. They have continued to plead for more time, on account of paucity of funds and numerous other commitments.

AGITATIONS

TASCE is a free society. Therefore, irrespective of what anyone thinks, there will be agitations. On Wednesday, November 3, 2021 and in response to request from staff of the College, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Prince Adeyemi Adefulu MFR and members of the Governing Council held a College Assembly to respond to questions from members of staff concerning their welfare. The Chairman listened to all and sundry including all the structures of staff unionism represented by COEASU for teaching staff, SUCCOEN senior non-teaching staff and NASU for non-teaching staff. Staff freely aired their opinions, commendations and frustrations.

TASCE has endured a history like no other institution in Ogun State and the staff are arguably the most efficient and timely in all academic events. For instance, to the credit of the staff first, and the Management, final year NCE 2020/2021 results have been approved by the Academic Board on December 23, 2021. The examination was concluded at the end of November 2021. Such is the level of efficiency and dedication of the staff and the goal-setting of the management. It is not a surprise that this kind of staff should ask the College Council to continue to pressure the state government to reciprocate their commitment by easing the financial burdens they have endured for years.

ONLINE BULLIES AND DETRACTORS

The recent attacks on the College, the Governing Council, the Provost and regrettably, the Governor of Ogun State did not emanate from the dedicated staff of the College. Any member of staff in complicity with online detractors is doing that on their own behalf. A situation where anyone will make videos, musicals or write articles to insult the Governor or anyone else for that matter is totally reprehensible and neither emanated from staff nor has staff support or consent in any form.

The Academic Staff Union of Colleges of Education, TASCE Chapter, led by Dr Modupe Oba-Adenuga has denied any involvement by her union, in a letter to the Governing Council Chairman. It is known fact that the National Executive of the Union visited the College and had a congress with COEASU members on November 4, 2021. In the meeting, they discussed their plans to mediate in the attempts to get the State government to address salary, promotion and any other issue the members have. They have since scheduled a meeting with the Chairman of the Governing Council and they continue to seek audience with the Governor. Such is the process COEASU adopts to resolve issues and does not threaten the peace in the campus and never ridicules government or associates with anyone who does.

Similarly, the Student Union Government led by Comrade Olamilekan Hassan (aka SAN) on behalf of his executive and the student body has denied any form of involvement in any activity aimed at disrupting the activities of the College. The SUG President urged the governor to disregard the online diatribes as the handiwork of persons trying to set the government against the college and its staff and students. The President commended the Governor for never taking his eyes off the institution and stated that they were in full support of the governor while, like Oliver Twist, appealing to the Governor to do more, particularly in student and staff welfare to ensure smooth academic environment. He re-assured the Governor of student unflinching support for his administration and stating that TASCE students have only one voice and that voice is 100% in support of the governor.

DISCIPLINARY MEASURES

It is true that disciplinary measures were handed out to staff who played specific roles in matters of indiscipline, tampering with College IGR, exposure of College sensitive documents on the internet and manipulating of College results, transcripts and other student data. In all this, appropriate processes were followed.

The Governing Council set up its own disciplinary committee headed by the Ogun State Head of Service (at the time), Mrs Ajibola Chokor. This committee invited every one individual who had clarifications to make or allegations to defend. Not one staff was arbitrarily treated as some would like to allege.  It is common for persons who have come under disciplinary procedures to be very economical with the truth. When TASCE put out a disclaimer on some results for instance, affected persons came back to the College with detailed and documented evidence which revealed deep-seated result racketeering. Persons who were disciplined for this kind of disgraceful fraudulent behaviour that fetched them huge returns on no investment are very unlikely to tell society the truth.

Despite all this, the Council Chairman was clear on the matter. When asked by the Chairman of SUCCOEN on November 4, 2021, during the College Assembly, to re-visit the cases of persons relieved of their appointments for one case or the other, the Chairman stated that no case is foreclosed. He reminded everyone that each matter went through levels of inquiries and interactions with the persons involved. While some appeared before the committee, some blatantly refused to honour any and every invitation. He said any appeal would be addressed appropriately.

TRUTHS, HALF TRUTHS, INSINUATIONS AND BLATANT LIES

Deceptions and manipulations come in different guises. Some of the most potent are the ones that cleverly merge half-truths with outright lying and create very twisted images and impressions of people they are targeted at. Some of the news outlets that have published stories about TASCE never bothered to check or confirm their stories or validate their sources. What these detractors do is to write under non-existent names like Ade Balogun, presumed to be a staff of TASCE but who does not exist. They have now resorted to making obnoxious musicals and videos trying to push more lies into public domain while keeping the reasons they were disciplined under wrap.

TASCE is an open institution. Anyone desiring information can ask and get it. The College has nothing to hide and the College must not return to the inglorious days of sealing offices with blocks and concrete and the days of staff physically attacking their own colleagues with weapons and charms.  TASCE is investing in the future and the only way forward for the institution is forward into that future.

Now is time to sit down and ask the right questions and design the best routes to what is desired. A lot of monumental advancements are billed to happen in 2022 and the only direction to look is forward. The appeals being made to the Governor on all fronts (Council, Management, Staff Unions, SUG, COEASU National and well-meaning people) need to be consolidated. There is no doubt that the Visitor the College, Prince Dapo Abiodun MFR knows about the difficulties in the Omu terrain and it remains a constant priority to keep appealing to the governor to rally in his characteristic way, and put smiles in the faces of the TASCE staff looking up to him

POST SCRIPT:

The College is unflinching the desire and drive to become a learning space that transcends location. The College is striving and striding to ensure that it delivers in education and in technology and is exploring all options and welcoming ideas and partnerships to boost offering and service delivery. 

Meanwhile, admission into College programmes is ongoing in NCE, Degree and Professional Diploma in Education PDE