How Bolaji Abdullahi’s Big Ideas Paralysed Kwara Colleges Of Education

Graduates and lecturers from different colleges of Education in Kwara state have voiced their discontent against the PDP Kwara Central Senatorial District candidate, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, over some of the policies implemented in the state’s tertiary institutions by Abdullahi while he held sway as a commissioner for education.

Mr Abdullahi, who headed the Education ministry between 2007 to 2011, has been accused of paralysing the institution with his much touted big ideas.

A Facebook user and scholar, Dr Badmus, popularly known as Dr. Bee on Facebook, stated that the degree programmes by the Kwara State College Education were halted by Abdullahi for just reasons than his distain for teachers and the teaching profession.

“We are still suffering from his big idea that kills our degree program for kwasu kick off. Till today our degree program that was halted by his recommendation is still experiencing major setback after we fought for its return recently.

“He is the brain behind the closures of kwara state colleges of education, ilorin for more than a year and we were asked to be a feeder team for kwasu when kwasu was experiencing enrolment problems.”

“His big idea was a bad omen in our colleges. I stand firmly on this. I am not a politician but a lover of education and teacher who suffered in the hand of a bad policy that is not sustainable,” he stated.

Corroborating the lecturer, Amb. Abdullateef Olalekan noted that their counterparts in Kwara state college of Education in Ilorin suffered a setback.

He added that the institution is yet to recover from the effects of the obnoxious policies till date.

“The institution is not what it is supposed to be till today.”

A graduate of one of the Colleges of Education in Oro, Amzat Olaiya, detailed how the Abdullahi-led ministry dis-accredited a lot of courses and departments in the name of restructuring.

“I’m never a fan of Bolaji Abdullahi, that guy spoiled tertiary education. My set in Oro then was about 15,000 in total. After he scrapped some courses/departments, their total students were not up to 1000, all in the name of restructuring that did not bring progress.”

Mr Olaiya advised the current administration to restore the lost glory of the institutions by conducting a fresh accreditation exercise.

“If this present govt wants to return the lost glory, that means they have to apply for fresh accreditation of those dept (maybe).”

Likewise, another graduate, Prince Atolagbe Adebara, decried how the Abdullah-led ministry crippled the Kwara State College of Arabic Islamic Legal Studies.

It should be noted that Abdullahi’s tenure was marred by various controversies including obnoxious policies against teachers and an alleged physical assault of a teacher in Baboko Community Secondary School in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara state.

However, the former commissioner, who is now seeking election as the Kwara Central Senatorial Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, has continually begged for teachers’ forgiveness.