Education to the average man on the street, is the ability to read and write. But, beyond what many see at the prima facie, education encompasses the way of life of individual or group. Education according to online dictionary, is "The act or process of educating or being educated.". From popular view, education is seen as the ability to acquire knowledge to operates and function in his environment.
In Taraba State, the environment appears to begin to harvest the fruits of Governor Darius' giant stride in education. Giving the education sector good attention, he now birth an experience that was never had as this good. The major efforts that now brought impressive records in the state education sector are:
1. The erection of a standard building and it donation to WACE by the Taraba State government for operational WAEC branch office in Jalingo. Candidates do not have to take the risk of going to Yola, Adamawa State, as it has been the case for many years, to register for the examination anymore. When the brilliant proposal was placed before the Governor to establish WACE office in Jalingo, by Jigem Johanes, the Commissioner of Education, a seasoned educationist. Governor Darius embraced it and now Taraba State has a WACE office together with a van for logistics.
2. The state’s performance in the West African School Certificate, WAEC, examination for last year 2016 and 2017. In 2016, Taraba State scored 67.3 percent, the best score recorded by the state in over 25-years of its history. This came on the heels of the passion for success in education by the Governor which the educational sector in the state is currently experiencing under the leadership of Arch. Darius Dickson Ishaku. Despite the challenges faced by schools due to communal crises in some parts of the state, the performances was good owing to the sound efforts put in place by the present administration.
This is was not so in 2015. The same impressive performances was recorded by the state in the just concluded WACE. Undoubtedly, this excellent performance may not be unconnected with good efforts of the Governor through the education sector. This is a sign that hope is kindled in education of the state as at no point in time had the state recorded above 48 percent in WACE.
3. Another giant stride achievement of the Governor in education is, the offsetting of the Universal Basis Education UBE counterpart funds. This is a thing of serious concern in the education of any society. The Governor inherited outstanding in UBE immediately he took the office of leadership. Because of his passion and heart for education, he offsets any outstanding and also released counterpart funds for UBE in good time so that the sector will not be held to ransom of any kind.
His attitude towards education has indeed brought changed in the state. The Governor also read riot act to teachers and school administrators in the state and assured them that his administration had come with a more pragmatic attitude to the development of education and demanded that they played their roles with a greater sense of dedication and patriotism. He followed this up with series of workshops and training programmes for head teachers and later for teachers and administrators in the educational chain. The programmes exposed participants to modern methods of record keeping, tests and measurement of performances of teachers and students, how to organise result-oriented programmes and maintain discipline generally in schools.
This singular act has now put teachers in Taraba State constantly on their toes and so are their students, to ensure that the best is achieved in education. This has impacted positively in the number of indigenes of the state gaining direct admission into Taraba State University. Before now, the state could hardly fill its admission quota there. Most of the students had to take the longer route that remedial studies offered.
4. The new face of hope the Governor gave education through the Ministry of Education can be seen from the Best Teachers Award organized in Lagos by Maltina. The state was among the 10 best performing state in the country. The award was given to Mr. Pev Isaac Terver a teacher with GSS Wukari East, Wukari Local Government. The award was as a result of his brazing performances. This must have been spurred through the good efforts of the Governor.
5. The Governor also ensure that books were made available in school libraries across the state, laboratory equipment and basic facilities needed in school, such as classroom buildings, toilets, first aid equipment, computers, furniture, instruction materials and so on...
According to the Commissioner of Education, "Education in Taraba is a product of the realisation that education is the cornerstone of human development.". Governor Darius knows this and will never fail to emphasise on this point any time he had the opportunity to talk to teachers, school administrators, students and their parents.
6. The recent recruitment of 3000 teachers in Taraba state is another giant stride in education, as time was taken to ensure that only professionals are recruited to impact knowledge at foundation level in education.
Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku's achievements in education are numerous to mention as development in the education sector is still ongoing. It suffices to mention that he is an Architect of good fortune. Its now time we all stand together with the Governor for a better education in Taraba.
