Jalingo Catholic Diocese Begins Communication Week with Call for Responsible Media Use

Catholic Church of Jalingo Diocese Rev. Charles Hammawa (photo source: Unitatis Media)

 By Thomas Samuel 

The Catholic Bishop of Jalingo Diocese, Charles Hammawa, has urged Christians to use technological advancement to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Bishop made the call during the opening session of a week-long activity marking this year’s Communication Week.

Bishop Charles said communication is integral to human existence and that its application could either make or mar harmonious coexistence in society.

He said modern-day technology has changed the manner in which communication is created, shared, and consumed, hence the decision by the mother church to set aside a period to reflect and chart a course toward making effective use of available platforms to promote peace, love, and combat hate and misinformation.

In his speech, the Director of Communications of Jalingo Diocese, Abraham Sauman, said the Diocese was observing the week for the first time.

Director communication father Abraham Sauman (photo source: Unitatis Media)

He explained that in the past, the communication unit organized activities to mark the day, but this year the invitation was extended to communication professionals as part of efforts to strengthen the church’s media communication.

“It is within this understanding that the Catholic Church annually celebrates World Communications Day. Instituted by the Second Vatican Council through the decree "Inter Mirifica", World Communications Day invites the faithful to reflect on the role of communication and the media in the mission of the Church and in human society. The Church recognizes that communication is not secondary to evangelization; rather, it is at the heart of the Church’s mission to proclaim the Gospel to all nations,” he added.

Father Abraham further said: “The Holy Father (Pope Leo) reminds us that communication is deeply human and sacred. In his message, he writes: ‘Faces and voices are sacred.’ He further explains that every human face and voice reveals the unique dignity and identity of the person created in the image of God .”

He encouraged parishioners to use the week as an opportunity for renewed commitment to evangelization through communication, adding that: “Through our parish activities, media engagements, workshops, publications, broadcasts, and digital platforms, we must make Christ known to our world.”

Don warns against eroding University standards in Teacher Education Reform

 

By Godwin Agia, Jalingo 

A Professor of Mathematics Education at the Taraba State University, John Tyavbee Ajai, has cautioned the Federal Government against reforms that could erode the integrity of university degrees in Nigeria by expanding the scope of degree-awarding roles to Colleges of Education.

In an open letter addressed to the Minister of Education, Dr Draruf Tunji Alausa on Sunday, Ajai said the debate around the proposed Continuous Five-Year NCE Degree structure highlights deeper questions about the future of Nigeria’s tertiary education system, Argued that policy changes must preserve institutional coherence and academic credibility.

He noted that Nigeria’s higher education system was historically built on clear differentiation, where Universities handled advanced scholarship and research, polytechnics focused on technical training, and colleges of Education concentrated on pedagogical preparation through the Nigeria Certificate in Education framework.

"Over time, however, those distinctions have steadily weakened," Ajai wrote. He pointed out that polytechnics now seek conversion into universities, while Colleges of Education run degree programs through affiliation arrangements with universities, blurring institutional mandates.

Ajai stressed that a university degree derives its legitimacy from more than classroom instruction,  andtressed that it reflects participation in a scholarly ecosystem marked by research culture, postgraduate engagement, peer review, and professorial leadership.

"What is less common in mature higher education systems is the long-term dependence on affiliation arrangements in which non-university institutions administer university degree programmes without full institutional integration.

"The deeper challenge confronting teacher education in Nigeria is the need to strengthen the attractiveness and professional standing of teaching itself," he said.

He warned that parallel pathways producing identical degrees under unequal academic cultures could weaken public trust.

Don added that accreditation processes often emphasise procedural compliance over deeper indicators of academic culture such as research vitality, scholarly engagement, and postgraduate activity. This, he said, creates a gap between certificate equivalence and academic equivalence.

He urged the government to strengthen Colleges of Education as centres of pedagogical excellence rather than expand degree pathways without corresponding investment in research capacity, staffing, and governance.

Ajai recommended a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s tertiary education philosophy to restore clearer roles for universities, polytechnics, and Colleges of Education. 

He also called for stricter joint quality assurance frameworks between the NUC and NCCE for institutions running affiliation programs, urged the ministry to initiate a national stakeholder dialogue to develop a coherent long-term framework for tertiary education reform.

"Educational systems are not strengthened merely by expanding access to credentials. They are strengthened through institutional coherence, quality assurance, scholarly credibility, and public trust," he concluded.