The Provost of Federal College of Education, Technical, Gusau in Zamfara State, Dr. Hauwa-Gimbiya Mukhtar Abdulkarim, has refused to step down or resign months after it was alleged that she manipulated the document that got her the exalted job.
When Dr Abdulkarim assumed office as the substantive Provost of FCET Gusau on August 1, 2023, little did the management of the institution know that her tenure would be marred with forgery scandal.
Though, there was a jubilation among the education community because Hauwau was first female provost from the state, her days seems to be numbered following discovery that one of the documents she presented for employment as the head of the institution was forged.
In a statement seen by EdubaseNG, the President, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) Smart Olugbeko alleged that the female Provost forged the promotion documents that made her get the no. 1 position at the institution.
One of the requirements states that a provost should have served as a college “chief lecturer” for a cumulative period of five years, but had not served the stipulated period at the time of her application for the exalted office.
She was said to have claimed before the college’s council selection board that she was promoted as a college chief lecturer in 2017 instead of 2023.
Hauwa’u Abdulkarim’s claim was also said to be different from her records at her former employer Shehu Shagari College of Education.
The Education Ministry, according to a report, the allegation against her by the Federal Ministry of Education.
The national body of COEASU disclosed that her continued stay in office is in defiance of the resignation order of 2023.
Olugbeko said, “The ministry’s directive for her resignation was on the premise that she forged her letter of promotion for her to be qualified to be appointed the provost.”
COEASU said her continued stay in office “portends grave implications on not only the education of the students but also their ethical training.”
The union called on the Minister of Education Prof. Tahir Mamman, to intervene and ensure that appointment appointments are based purely on merit and established qualifications criteria.
Recall that her appointment took effect from August 1, 2023, but less than seven months on assumption of office staff members of the institution embarked on strike on the condition that they would not work under a provost who got appointment through crooked means.
“On her assumption as the substantive Provost of the College, the attention of the union (COEASU) was drawn on the petition labeled against her by a human rights group (Equity Alliance) demanding for cancellation of her appointment as substantive provost of the College on the ground of misrepresentation of forged document,” Chairman of COEASU, Zamfara chapter, Dr Abdullahi Muhammad has said during their March 12, 2024 congress meeting.
Join EdubaseNG WhatsApp Channel to get the latest education & student loan tips
Join our Telegram Channel to get the latest news about Student Loans & Education News.
Are you a stakeholder in education? You can become our guest writer. Write to us using our our email address here
