The visitation panels set up by the Kwara State Government on the state's owned Colleges of Education in Ilorin, Lafiagi and Oro have canvassed for the revision and review of the structure, management, principle and practice of teacher education for the promotion of qualitative education in the State.

A professor of Education and Chairman of the Visitation Panel to Lafiagi College of Education, Professor Shehu Jimoh made the call on behalf of other panels during the submission of their reports to the Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji (Dr.) Abdulfatah Ahmed.

Professor Shehu Jimoh said the panels believe that qualified, experienced educationists should be appointed as chairmen and members of the various Governing Councils of Colleges of Education in order to avert conflicts in the administration of the institutions.

The panels, according to Prof. Jimoh, also found out that reforms and reorganisations of the Colleges of Education must be borne out of strategic planning and data while "the best teachers and students must be encouraged to go into teacher training programmes".

The State Governor, Alhaji (Dr.) Abdulfatah Ahmed in his remarks, noted that the Visitation Panels were set up to identify the challenges in the teacher training institutions in line with his administration's education reform agenda of creating a conducive atmosphere for learning using enhanced education infrastructure. According to him, "it is well known that the quality of a child's education has direct correlation to the foundation laid at the basic level. Ordinarily, this foundation is determined by the quality of teaching, especially at the primary and junior secondary school levels and by extension, the standard of training at colleges of education".

Governor Ahmed recalled that the State Colleges of Education had high standards in the 1980s because the institutions had focus and kept faith with their operational mandate which he said was "the preparation of high quality middle level teachers required in our schools".

He said it was however, worrisome that the colleges had derailed tremendously from their original focus and mandate by offering University Degree Programmes.

Governor Ahmed assured members of the panels that their reports would be studied for immediate implementation.