I. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The Centre for Continuing Education came into being in 1976 as a division under the Faculty of Education with the sole aim of running Extra-Mural Studies in General Certificate of Education (GCE), ordinary level and advanced courses. In 1980, the Division was elevated to a Faculty of Continuing Education under the leadership of the late Professor Girgis Salama who became its first Dean. The influence of its first Dean in the field of Mass Communication gave the Centre the opportunity to introduce Mass Communication short courses in print-journalism, photo-journalism, and radio-journalism, among others, meeting various developmental needs at the middle level manpower. The Faculty of Continuing Education was renamed The Centre for Continuing Education in 1982.

In 1989, the Centre started to offer diploma programmes. Over the years from 1989, the Centre recruited experienced staff to consolidate its staffing foundation. The Centre now operates within a legal framework of University of Jos statue No. 2, which became effective on 6th November 1997.

Before 1986, the Centre was funded from the Main University. Since 1986, the Centre has generated revenue and paid its staff, including staff posted to the Centre from other arms of the University, from it. All other expenditure at the Centre is also from the revenue generated at the Centre.

The Centre admits students mainly from its catchment areas i.e. Plateau, Nassarawa, Benue, Kogi, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Niger and Kaduna. Thousands of graduates are turned out into different sectors of the Nigerian economy and the world. Currently, the Centre runs two satellite campuses in Makurdi and Bauchi, which were started in 1980 and 1981 respectively.

The Centre aims to:

* provide opportunity to workers, adults, school drop-outs, and other candidates who failed their GCE, SSCE and TC II examinations to continue with their education while they keep their fulltime employment.

* train middle-level academic and professional manpower in various fields of human endevours.

* provide education to the doorsteps of many people on a non-residential, part-time and full-time basis by operating as many satellite campuses as possible.

* provide Distant Education Programmes through an "Open University" system.

* organise training programmes through short and long-term non-residential courses.

* perform any other function in line with the main goals of University of Jos.

The Centre for Continuing Education is made up of three campuses, namely Jos, Makurdi and Bauchi. Jos and Makurdi consist of four departments each, namely Mass communication, Adult Education and Community Services, Business Studies, and Banking and Finance. The Bauchi campus does not have an Adult Education and Community Services Department.

The Centre has been active in the training and retraining of the middle level manpower of the public and private sectors within its immediate community. For instance the media organisations and information departments have benefited a lot in getting their staff trained in print and electronic journalism, radio and television announcing and public relations. This has enabled their staff to meet the standards set by Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, which requires the Media organisation to employ only professionals with a minimum of a diploma in Mass Communication.

Many state and federal agencies have benefited in getting their staff trained in adult mass literacy education. Over the years, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Education has been using the Centre for the training of its manpower for the Mass Literacy Programme in Nigeria. Also, The Central Bank of Nigeria and some Commercial Banks have benefited tremendously in getting their staff acquire academic training and qualifications in Banking and Finance. Many of such financial instructions are laying off staffers who lack adequate academic and professional training.

The Extra-Mural programme in the Department of Adult Education and Community Services provides supporting services to the Centre. Secondary School drop outs and SSCE failures are trained to finish up and make up their SSCE subjects. Due to insufficient funds, the Mass Communication studio lacks the standard equipment required by the students to conduct their practicals. Thus, government media houses are often used to provide the needed students practical training. Similarly, the library at the Jos campus is still in its infancy and the Centre’s effort to establish a computer laboratory is yet to bear fruit. In order to enhance academic standard, the Centre has harmonised its curriculum in all the three campuses in line with the regulations laid down by Senate. The staffing situation in the satellite campuses requires strengthening and pragmatic steps are needed to recruit and retain top quality academic staff in all the three campuses.

The Centre’s vision is focussed on bringing together all non-NUC funded academic programmes under the management of the Centre so that the University can minimise managerial costs. This will allow NUC paid staff to concentrate their efforts and attention on their primary responsibilities. The Centre plans to widen its scope to include degrees and post-graduate courses. The Centre will also go into full-fledged distance education programmes nation-wide in the long term.

CS = Centre Strategy

Goal 1: Comprehensive strength in subdegree and undergraduate programmes

CS1.1 Champion the movement of the administration of all non-NUC funded academic programmes in the University to the Centre for Continuing Education.

CS1.2 Commence the offer of degree and post-graduate courses at the centre.

CS1.3 Introduce distance education programme nation-wide.

Goal 2: First class postgraduate and professional programmes in a significant number of areas

CS2.1 Rehabilitate the Mass Communication Studio for the mass communication programme.

CS2.2 Establish a computer laboratory for academic and administrative services.

CS2.3 Improve professional programmes by offering short and long term professional courses, seminars, conferences and workshops in response to the community needs.

CS2.4 Develop areas of strength in Extra-Mural studies, Adult Education, Mass Communication, and Banking and Finance.

CS2.5 Continue to produce and maintain the Centre’s International Journal of Continuing Education.

Goal 3: A quality academic and conducive working environment.

CS3.1 Make sure that facilities on ground are consolidated and that students in-take does not over-stretch the facilities. Lecture halls without good seats will be furnished with permanently fixed seats especially in Rooms 5, 9 & 10. The Auditorium air-conditioning systems will also be fully reactivated.

CS3.2 Provide modern equipment to the Centre’s Mass Communication Studio for conducive and effective teaching and learning.

CS3.3 Use the Centre’s Mass Communication Studio for broadcasting programmes within the campus to augment the efforts of the Public relation and Information Departments of the University.

CS3.4 Consolidate and continue to run a stable academic calendar without interruption from within or outside the University.

CS3.5 Provide all relevant satellite campuses and departments with adequate and continuous supply of teaching materials and equipment.

CS3.6 Increase the current student intake in the Adult education programme in line with UNESCO and Government’s desire to train needed manpower to combat and eliminate illiteracy and poverty in the world and in Nigeria in particular.

CS3.7 Provide more recreational facilities for students and staff in collaboration with the private sector.

Goal 4: Academic and Administrative Staff of National and International Distinction:

CS4.1 Recruit top dedicated academic and administrative staff to sustain and improve academic excellence.

CS4.2 Establish linkages and very active cooperation with individuals, Universities and Corporate Bodies.

CS4.3 Provide incentives such as improved facilities, paper publication bonuses, more research grants and funds to attend conferences and workshops.

Goal 5: Effective and efficient utilisation of limited resources.

CS5.1 Adhere strictly to the budget as approved by the Board of Governors. Fund the budget 100% through internally generated revenue as well as remit 50% of the Centre’s net income to the University.

Goal 6: Increased provision and use of information technology

CS6.1 Provide free Internet access for all staff and students.

CS6.2 Establish and maintain computer laboratories in all our campuses.

CS6.3 Provide personal computers for all academic staff at and above senior lecturer level.

Goal 7: Decentralisation and Transparency in Administration

CS7.1 Support the installation of the collegiate system.

Goal 8: Increased Participation of a diverse range of stakeholders

CS8.1 Broaden academic programmes to include part-time degree courses, so as to generate more revenue for the University.

CS8.2 Collaborate actively with other academic units, which run non-NUC, funded programmes in order to exploit the advantages of running the courses for them, and generate more income for the university.

CS8.3 Design effective revenue generation activities in all departments and campuses by collaborating with non-governmental and corporate organisations.

CS8.4 Encourage Departments and campuses to source for financial and material assistance through International linkages and exchange programmes with Overseas Universities, UNDP, UNESCO etc.

CS8.5 Enhance the existing cooperation with UNDP in the area of mass Literacy manpower training.

CS8.6 Support calls to Industries, parents, students and alumni to make donations of cash or kind.

Establish computer laboratories in all campuses.

Approve and commence the part-time degree programmes in Mass Communication, Adult Education; Banking and Finance and Home Economics.

Liaise with the University central library to take over full management, equipping and maintenance of the Jos campus Centre Library.

Establish libraries in all our campuses.

Make full Internet services available to staff and students.

Scout for more students for the Adult Education Department.

Provide adequate office accommodation to academic staff.

1999 to 2003

Consolidate all certificate, and diploma courses based on University of Jos Senate standards.

Introduce sandwich certificate and diploma programmes.

Improve staffing with more senior lecturers and professors in all relevant areas.

Introduce secondary Adult Education programmes.

Intensify the running of short-term professional courses in form of workshops, seminars, conferences etc.

Serve as the nucleus of managing all University of Jos non-NUC funded diploma and undergraduate academic programmes, which are run by other departments, based on Council sharing formula.

Free all departments, which run NUC funded programmes from diverting their energies into the administration of non-NUC undergraduate programmes.

Increase collaboration with the University Consultancy Services Limited in the running of academic programmes.

Provide more recreational facilities for students and staff in collaboration with the private sector.

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