The management of A.D Rufa’i College of Education, Legal and General Studies, Misau, Bauchi State, has denied extorting students through multiple payments as claimed by an online online medium, WikkiTimes.
A statement by the College Chief Public Relations Officer, Sagir Mukhtar, said the allegations labelled against the College administration were misrepresentation and distortion of facts by those who refused to go with its transformation agenda.
The statement reads, “The attention of the management of A.D Rufa’i College of Education, Legal and General Studies, Misau, has been drawn to an online publication against the College by an online medium, WikkiTimes and republished by Sahara Reporters.
It is baffling that an online media that’s gradually getting wider coverage would descend so low as to allow some unscrupulous individuals that are hell bent on denting decades-old reputation of this great institution using WikkiTimes.
The so-called investigative report was obviously aimed at besmirching the hard-earned reputation and prestige of this great Institution in the eyes of the public for personal gains at the expense of Misau Emirate, Bauchi State and beyond.
It is imperative to set the record straight so that facts are sieved from fictions for prosperity to preserve the reputation of the institution, management, staff and students.
First, the spurious allegation that the College double-charges students for Industrial Training or Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) is completely erroneous and figment of imagination of the writer. Prior to the emergence of the current Provost, Dr Auwal Ibrahim Amba, the institution was doing manual registration. To bring about sanity and transparency, the school registration system was digitalised, harmonised and strengthened. A tripartite synergy was synchronised via the College Portal, Systems Specs and the State Board of Internal Revenue Service to ensure transparency and accountability in the process. However, as with a new system, the transition from manual to digital system was in phases and was not without some challenges we have remedied.
The College IGR goes through the most transparent Treasury Single Account (TSA) System duly monitored by the relevant State authority.
Second, WikkiTimes claim that students are not allowed to partake in entrepreneurship project. This is a complete fabrication and misrepresentation of facts. The entrepreneurship skills acquisition programme being run by the College Consult is a veritable hands-on learning process that’s going on for the past one year and becoming a huge success towards preparing the students to get additional practical experience for gainful self-employment after graduation as the programme is not only active but training and graduating students that are contributing to their communities inside and outside Bauchi State. In fact, any interested person can pay a fact-finding visit to the institution to ascertain.
The SLA for the programmes, the trainee attendance and working tools are available evidentiary proof that cannot be denied.
On the exclusion of Entrepreneurship from examination timetable and semester result, the Governing council of the institution approved the course but it is not a prerequisite for graduation. That is why it is not incumbent upon the students to take exam. It is an optional course that is aimed at equipping the students with necessary skills for their self-reliance post-graduation. Undergraduate, NCE and diploma students are all active participants in the skills acquisition.
Third, on the issue of Students’ Identity Card, as usual, an obscure student was identified and interviewed. While any reasonable mind would doubt their fabrication, it is important to remind them that undergraduate, NCE, Diploma, Certificate students cannot be represented by just one interviewee and that shows lack of understanding of basic journalistic work. Thus, it is fallacious claim. All registered Students of A.D. Rufa’i have I.D. cards unless those that refused to collect theirs at the Students’ Affairs Division or those that fail to follow the procedure. The records of I.D. cards produced and collected per sessions are all readily available for scrutiny.
Fourth, on the issue of formation of taskforce committee, there were serious complaints earlier on the quantity and quality of the students’ meals. Students were being served food of poor quality and often not enough for them because of abuse of the process. The College management constituted a Committee involving all stakeholders – representatives from store, students’ representative – which has significantly improved the quantity and quality of the meal being served to the students. We call on the online platform to come and verify. The foodstuff and everything needed are still being kept at the store. How can the store personnel be side-lined while they still control the College food bank?
Fifth, it is ridiculous to claim that there are no sporting facilities available for the students. While in its distortion of facts, WikkiTimes, photographed a tiny part of abandoned field on the campus as the football pitch, it is relevant to disclose here that there are three different football pitches on campus that even outsiders are coming in to play football. Similarly, there other active sporting activities such as long tennis and basketball on the campus.
Therefore, assertion by the WikkiTimes that the College engages in ‘Multiple Payments’ and or ‘Fictitious Services’ are attempts to smear the reputation of the College. It is evidently clear that the so called investigative report was targeted at the reputation of the College.
The platform carried out a similar report in 2021, possibly sponsored, in an attempt to hinder the state government from renewing the tenure of the Provost, where unjustifiable allegations were published against him and the college. However, due to the leadership dexterity and administrative acumen of the Executive Governor, His Excellency Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON, discarded such deliberate campaign of calumny and renewed the tenure of the Provost to continue with the repositioning and transforming the institution.
Indeed many are deeply saddened by the patriotic move of the Executive Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, CON, (Kauran Bauchi) that upgraded the institution to a full college of education and can go any length to scuttle the progress.
Interestingly, the College designed special intervention for the benefit of Persons with Disability (PWDs) and vulnerable applicants through its Special Free Education Programme (SFEP) to ensure participation and inclusion. In comparison to its peers in Nigeria, the College boasts of cheaper registration fee courtesy of the commitment of Bauchi State Government.
The College is a bastion of high moral standing for over four decades which motivates parents, guardians and Sponsors to enrol their wards into the Institution that is reputed for learning and character.
The allegations labelled against the College administration were misrepresentation and distortion of facts by those who refused to go with its transformation agenda; thereby having sleepless nights for the giant strides to the detriment of anticipating the College to remain sluggish and laggard.
With the rapid transformation at A. D. Rufa’i College alongside the avalanche of undergraduate, NCE, and National Diploma programmes; it deserves approbation through support, goodwill, prayers, synergy to sustain and expand the good work beyond reproach via mudslinging and false accusations.
In conclusion, the general public is therefore urged to disregard the spurious and malicious content as it is bereft of depth and rich investigative journalism is known for globally.”
