By Umar Dankano, Yola
The Federal College of Education (FCE), Yola, Adamawa State, has graduated 3,555 students from its 2024 and 2025 academic sessions at its 16th combined convocation ceremony.
The Provost of the college, Professor Mohammed Usman Degereji, disclosed this during the ceremony held in Yola on Saturday, explaining that 1,818 students graduated from the 2024 session, while 1,737 completed their studies in the 2025 session.
He said his administration had continued to prioritise staff development and improvements to the institution’s learning environment, noting that more than 200 staff members had attended national and international conferences to strengthen their professional skills and knowledge.
Degereji added that the college had also given attention to essential facilities, including laboratories, hostels, lecture theatres, staff offices and other services needed to support teaching and learning.
Federal Government Reaffirms Commitment to Education Personnel
Representing the Minister of Education, Dr Uchenna Uba, Director of the College of Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, said the Federal Government remained committed to improving the welfare of personnel working in the education sector.
She explained that the Tertiary Institution Staff Support Fund (TISSF) was introduced as a welfare and loan initiative aimed at supporting teachers and improving their financial well-being.
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Dr Angela Ajala, congratulated the graduates and urged them to uphold high standards of character and professionalism wherever they found themselves.
Ajala encouraged the graduates to embrace teaching as a profession of choice rather than treating it as an alternative when other, more lucrative opportunities were unavailable.
Earlier, Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri called on the Federal Government to upgrade the college to a University of Education, saying the move would expand access to higher education and strengthen academic development in the region.
Responding on behalf of the graduating students, Paul Ndazimson of the Christian Religious Knowledge Department, who recorded a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.65, expressed appreciation to the college management and parents for their support and for providing an environment conducive to learning.