A total of 201 students of Milikya College of Health and Social Sciences, Bauchi are to enjoy full scholarship throughout the duration of their studies at the College, courtesy of former Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) and the Bauchi StateGovernorship candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), Air Marshal Saddique Baba Abubakar (rtd).
Speaking while presenting the scholarship packages to the benefiting students who were declared ‘indigent,’ Air Marshal Abubakar, who was also Nigeria’s Ambassador to Niger Republic, lamented the lack of attention to education by the present administration in the State,berating it for paying lip service to the sector.
He also berated the government for reneging on the Private Public Partnership (PPP) agreement entered into by the previous administration with the Proprietor of the College saying that it was a wrong decision taken by the administration.
The APC gubernatorial candidate assured that if elected, his administration will revisit the issue and see how the agreement can be reviewed and made effective because according to him, education is something that government alone cannot shoulder.
He then advised the students to take their studies seriously so that they will excel and become useful to the society saying, “health education is vital to the existence of the society, so, take your studies seriously.”
Abubakar assured that he will continue to give support to indigent and vulnerable people in the society in his capacity while if he elected as the next Governor, the administration will build on that.
In his welcome speech, Proprietor of the College, Aminu Mohammed DanBauchi, said that over the years, partnerships between the public and private sectors have become common strategies for responding to the global public health crises of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria at both the national and international levels.
According to him, “Through these public-private partnerships (PPPs). partners from multiple sectors combine skills, expertise and resources to implement programmes larger in scope than the reach of individual partners. Many partnerships have been highly successful and rewarding to both parties, particularly the general public”.
He stressed that, “One of such successes is the establishment of the Malikiya College, which is built to help the government achieve its manpower needs in the health sector” .
The Proprietor added that the College intends to offer courses in all Health and Social Sciences and affiliate with Universities at home and abroad to run full medical courses to produce Medical Doctors and other health professionals in the future.
He disclosed that the Malikiya is accredited to Courses such as Dental Surgery Technician (DST), Medical Laboratory Science (MLT);bCommunity Health Extension Worker (Fresh), Community Health Extension Worker
(RE-Trainee), Junior Community Health Extension Worker (Certificate), Health Information Management (HIM) and Environmental Health Technician (EVT).
Others are Health Education and Promotion (DHE), Diploma X-Ray Technician, National Diploma Dental Therapy, ND Dietetics and Nutrition, ND Pharmacy Technology, ND Health Information Management, ND Environment Health Technology (EHO), ND Community Health, HND Dental Therapy, HND Environment Technology (Officers) and HND Health Information Management. Presently we have over 3000 students.
He stressed that, “The proprietors are delighted to answer this clarion call which is fulfillment of a social responsibility that is expected from all of us” .
The College was established by the Malikiya Group of Jurisprudence on the request of Bauchi state government vide its letter reference: MOH/ADM/392/V/1/7 of 15th January 2015 seeking to bring the private sector to partner with them to build additional health institutions in the state to fill the gap of manpower shortage in government hospitals.
The college is currently in negotiation with Sudan International University towards upgrading the institution to a full pledge University under a partnership arrangement.
