Education has been accorded a priority position in the development drive of Plateau State. Christian missionary groups were in the forefront of educational development in the early days of Plateau Province.

The solid foundation they laid was consolidated and expanded in scope through the active participation of government (state and federal), private individuals and other voluntary organizations in the establishment and running of primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in the state.

There are today, 637 primary schools and 289 post-primary institutions in Plateau State. In the realization that skilled manpower is essential for rapid socio-economic development, the state has established a number of tertiary institutions for effective manpower development such as polytechnics, colleges of education and colleges of agriculture, forestry and soil conservation.

In addition, the Federal Government has established similar secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Plateau State, which admit students from specified states of the federation. There are also tertiary institutions established by individuals and voluntary organizations in the state.

Institutions of higher learning in Plateau State

• Plateau State Polytechnic, Barakin-Ladi
• Plateau State College of Education, Gindiri
• School of Health Technology, Pankshin
• School of Soil Conservation, Pankshin
• Institute for Vocational and Relevant Technology, Jos
• Federal College of Education, Pankshin
• Federal School of Soil Conservation, Vom
• Federal School of Forestry, Jos
• National Institute of Veterinary Research, Vom
• Nigerian Police Staff Academy, Buruku, Jos
• Nigerian Television College, Jos, Plateau State.
• National Centre for Museum Studies, Jos
• National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos (Website)
• E.C.W.A Seminary, Jos
• St. Augustine Seminary, Jos
• Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Jos
• Plateau State Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Shere Hills, Jos.

University of Jos

P.M.B. 2084, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Founded: 1975
Ownership: Federal Government
Faculty: 711
Enrollment: 13,408
Contact: Registrar
Telephone: 073-610514, 612513, 453724
Fax: 073-612513, 612514
E-mail: LastnameFirstinitial@unijos.edu.ng

Brief History

The need for a university in the former Benue-Plateau State arose because of the rapid educational development in the State. In a state where education is more or less an industry, the number of candidates for nationwide admissions exams had become so large that they could not effectively compete for the few places available in the then only University in the Northern Region, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

In view of this fact, the then Military Governor of Benue-Plateau State, Police Commissioner Joseph Dechi Gomwalk set out to entice the only University in the region to set up a satellite campus in the state. All efforts by Governor Joseph Dechi Gomwalk to persuade the administrators of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria to open a branch or a Satellite Campus of the University in the State Capital, Jos was not received very well by the Northern Establishments, so with no where to go, the Military Administrator, Joseph D. Gomwalk decided to return to his alma matta, the University of Ibadan to set up a satellite campus in Jos. He succeeded and the University of Jos first came into existence as a satellite campus of the University of Ibadan in November, 1971.

On its establishment, Prof. E.A. Ayandele was appointed as its first Principal, and a few staff were seconded from Ibadan to run the school. Its first home was the present Township Campus of the university, which is located along Murtala Mohammed Way, Jos. Actual academic activities started in January 1972 when pre-degree students were admitted. Degree courses in Arts were introduced in October, 1973, while related courses in Science and Education were introduced in 1974. In this same year, the Bauchi road Campus of the University, (which was to subsequently accommodate most of its faculties and serve as its main Campus), was acquired and its development started shortly. Today the University has 9 faculties (Architecture, Law, Natural sciences, Medicine, Pharmacy, Education, Social Sciences, Arts, Post grduate). These faculties are distributed in the three different campuses. The Law, Education, Medicine, Pharmacy, Natural sciences, Architecture and Post graduate faculties are located at the Main Campus along Bauchi road, the Social Sciences and Arts faculties are located at the Permanent side along Farin Gada road. The third campus (referred to as Old campus) is located at the heart of the town along Murtala Mohammed way, this campus acommodates the Centre for Continuing Education (a training centre for working class people, that can't have time off to attend higher education on full time basis) and Consultancy services of the University.

In October, 1975, the then Federal Military Government announced the establishment of seven new Universities and University Colleges including the University of Jos in various locations in Nigeria. On granting full autonomy to the new University, the government then appointed Prof. G. Onuaguluchi as its first Vice-Chancellor.

The first set of students for the University of Jos Degree programrnes were admitted in the 1976/77 Session. In all, a total of 575 students were admitted into the then existing four faculties of Sciences (later split into Sciences & Environmental Sciences), Education, Medical Sciences and Social Sciences (which was later split into the Faculties of Arts, Law and Social Sciences). The Faculty of Medical Sciences was began with just 100 students for courses leading to the first professional examination in Medicine. The teaching of courses leading to the second professional examination in the same field commenced in November 1977 and, despite being faced with very difficult working circumstances, the Faculty of Medical Sciences was able to produce its first set of 66 graduates in Medicine in the 1981/82 Session. In the following session, 1977/78 postgraduate programmes were introduced for the first time in the areas of Education, Geography and Zoology.

In other aspects of the academic development of the University, the 1979/80 Session saw the establishment of the new Faculty of Environmental Sciences, and later in the next session, l980/81 session the emergence of the Faculty of Law with an initial intake of 189. Prior to this, Law had been part of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The 1981/82 Session marked the beginning of the movement of major administrative and other academic activities from the Township Campus to the Bauchi Road Campus, which is at present the Main Campus of the institution. By the 1983/84 Session, seven full-fledged faculties, in addition to other semi-autonomous teaching and research units, had emerged. The Faculties were Medical Sciences, Arts, Education, Law, Environmental Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences, while the support units were School of Post-graduate studies, Department of Preliminary studies (later renamed Division of General and Remedial Studies), Institute of African studies (later renamed Centre for Development Studies), Department of Extramural studies (later renamed Centre for Continuing Education). The last named unit (which was started as one of the pioneering units of the former Jos Campus of the University of Ibadan) has remained essentially a useful public service outfit for the University.

As a result of the decision taken by the Federal Military Government in 1984 to rationalize establishment of new Universities of Technology nationwide, the then Federal University of Technology, Makurdi was merged with the University of Jos. By this decision, the administration of the Makurdi Campus became integrated with that of Jos. For the period it remained under the auspices of University of Jos, between 1984-87, the Makurdi Campus operated 3 Faculties- namely, Agriculture, Engineering and Pharmacy. However, when the campus subsequently regained autonomy and become a full-fledged University of Agriculture in Jan. 1988, its faculty of Pharmacy was transferred to Jos, making it the 8th Faculty in the University of Jos. From its modest beginnings as a satellite Campus of the University of Ibadan, the present University of Jos has expanded both its student and staff population considerably. Available records show that the university started off with only a few dozen pre-degree students and a handful of staff seconded from the University of Ibadan in January, 1972. Records show consistent increase in the student population from about 576 between 1972 to 1,392, by the end of September 1978. This population continued to increase that by the end of 1985 school session, the student population had increased to 5769.

In consonance with this growth in the student enrollment the senior academic and administrative staff strength of the university also steadily rose from the modest figure in 1972 to the recorded figure of 970 at the end of September 1985.

From 1985 to date, student enrollments have increased from the recorded 579 figure in 1972 when the University opened its doors to 9,263 at the end of September, 1989. This figure further increased to reach the peak figure of 16,177 at the end of 1993. A corresponding staff complement of 762 has also been recorded, as at September, 1993 - a relative decline from the figure of 970 as at September, 1985. Currently the Student population is about 14,000, and faculty staff population about 1,200 and administrative staff of about 1,300. Due to limitations in resources, the University has been able to cut on student intake, to allow for resource sharing, since the available facilities can not accommodate the large number of student's seeking admission, by making sure that only the best are selected among those that apply for admission.

Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi

P.M.B 02023, Bukuru, Plateau State

Founded: 1978
Ownership: Plateau State Government
Faculty: 121
Enrollment: 2,260
Contact: Rector

Theological college of Northern Nigeria, Bukuru

General Information about the Theological College of Northern Nigeria

The Theological College of Northern Nigeria, Bukuru, Plateau State was constituted on November 26, 1958 and came into being in February 1959 when classes started at Gindiri. TCNN moved to its permanent site at Bukuru and was dedicated in 1961. TCNN started with two programmes, the Diploma of Theology and Certificate in Theology (now Diploma in Christian Ministry).

The College is a private institution overseen by "Tarayar Ekklesiyoyin Kristi a Nigeria" (TEKAN), i.e. The Fellowship of the Churches of Christ in Nigeria. TEKAN is made up of eleven (11) different denominations found mostly in the northern part of the country. It is these denominations, which are the proprietors of the College, along with the Anglican Dioceses of Nigeria and the Presbyterian Church, which are associate members of that proprietorship.

Proprietors

• Ekklesiyar Yan'uwa a Nigeria (EYN)
• Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria (CRCN)
• Mambila Baptist Convention (MBC)
• Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN)
• Nigeria Reformed Church (NRC)
• Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN)
• Evangelical Reformed Church of Christ (ERCC)
• Nongo U Kristu ken Sudan hen Tiv (NKST)
• United Methodist Church in Nigeria (UMCN)
• Haddiyar Ekklesiyar Kristi a Nigeria,Kaduna (HEKAN)
• Evangelical Church of Christ in Nigeria (ECCN)

Associates

• Anglican Province of Nigeria
• Presbyterian Church of Nigeria

TEKAN was founded by the National Daughter Churches of the Sudan United Mission and the Church of the Brethren Mission. In 1980 the College started a Bachelor of Divinity Programme along with the other two programmes. In September 1991 the College began to offer a Master's degree in theology in various subjects.

The chapel is the dominant feature of the campus and the center of campus life. The College is situated 2 km east of Bukuru near Jos. Jos, the Plateau State capital city, is 15 km from the College. The tree-lined College campus lies at the foot of a rocky hill. The setting is both beautiful and quiet -- ideal for studying. The College occupies about 100 acres of land. The main and original site contains fifteen staff houses and two blocks of rooms for single students -- with kitchen area and students' lounge. In the married students' quarters there are sixty-two houses. Other buildings are: Women's School, Carpentry Workshop, Dispensary, Chapel, Library, an administrative block containing offices for the Provost, Deputy Provost, Academic Dean, Administrative Officers, Bursar, Registrar and Secretaries, a textbook store and supplies room. There are also classroom blocks with an assembly hall and a bookshop.

The College has a Nursery and a Primary School to give primary education to children of staff and students. To qualify for the lower fees the children must be the parents' own blood children, not those of other members of their families. Children from the neighbourhood are also admitted. The College also has a Day Secondary School for the children of staff, those from the area around the College, and from the outlying areas of Bukuru and Jos.

Since 1980, the Theological College of Northern Nigeria has been affiliated with the University of Jos. It is recognised not only by TEKAN but also by many other church denominations as an excellent institution for the training of future ministers, both academically and spiritually.

Other schools

Federal College of Forestry
P.M.B. 2019, Jos

Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology
P.M.B. 1, Vom