The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed a bill to provide for the establishment of the Akwa Ibom State University of Education, Afaha Nsit, and to make provisions for its administration and for other purposes connected thereto.
This followed a report presented to the House by the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Kenim Onofiok, during plenary on Thursday.
Presenting the report, Onofiok noted that the bill, when passed into law, would provide high-quality teacher education programmes, as well as offer opportunities to Akwa Ibom children seeking admission into degree awarding institutions.
According to her, students are no longer interested in registering for the three-year NCE programme, but prefer to study a four-year degree programme, hence the decline admission into NCE programmes of the college.
On Wednesday, 26th February, the House Committee On Education conducted a Public Hearing for the stakeholders to generate inputs for the making of the bill.
The House thereafter dissolved into the committee of the Whole to consider the bill.
At the Committee of the Whole, the House considered 33 clauses and adopted the committee’s recommendations on the bill.
Motion for the bill to be read for the third time and passed was moved by the Leader of the House, Sunday Johnny and seconded by the Deputy Chief whip, Sampson Idiong.
The bill was read for the third time and passed at Plenary presided by the Speaker, Udeme Otong, with effect from Thursday, 13 March, 2025.
In a related development, A Bill for A law to Establish the Akwa Ibom State Geographic Information System and for other matters connected thereto has scaled through first reading on the floor of the Assembly during Thursday’s Plenary.
Sponsored by the member for Essien Udim State Constituency, Prince Ukpong Akpabio with 15 members as co- sponsors, the Bill has been referred to the House Committee on Business, Rules and Ethics for rescheduling.
Meanwhile, the new Sergeant-at-arm, Mr. Mfon Akpan and his Deputy, Mr. Ime Jimmy were formally introduced to members of Assembly during Thursday’s Plenary by the Speaker, Rt. Udeme Otong.
