The Bayelsa State Government has assured its residents that it would intensify efforts to secure accreditation of courses offered at the state-owned Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education, Sagbama.

It said that such would ensure the employability of the institution’s graduands.

The state Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, gave the assurance at separate meetings with some stakeholders of Sagbama town.

This is contained in a statement signed on Wednesday in Yenagoa by the deputy governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Doubara Atasi.

Ewhrudjakpo said that the government was aware of the challenges facing the school and that it had begun to address them.

According to him, the challenges include accreditation and the issuance of certificates to graduating students to enable them to seek employment.

He promised that the state government would support efforts by the college to finalize the affiliation agreement of the college with Niger Delta University to enable it to award degrees.

“This is in addition to the National Certificate in Education (NCE) program’’, the deputy governor said.

He also assured the citizens that the present administration would take up the perimeter fencing and complete the uncompleted projects initiated by the immediate past government to improve teaching and learning in the teacher training institution.

The deputy governor called for an understanding on the part of the students and directed the management of the school to implement the governor’s directive on the reduction of school fees in all state-owned tertiary institutions.

“I believe we should be able to create a situation to assuage the plights of the students. I disagree strongly that we cannot award certificates. I also disagree that they cannot find a place in the labour market.

“I suggest the school should be allowed to issue certificates that will enable students to secure employment within the state. If we do that, then we will have solved part of the problems.

“While we try to look for a permanent solution, I am of the firm belief that we suggest to the governor through the governing council, to approve the issuance of state certificates as a stop-gap measure,” Ewhrudjakpo said.

He also assured them that the Gov. Douye Diri-led administration was ready to tackle some of the challenges facing the area, including flooding.

He directed the Commissioner for Special Projects, Sinkumo Ekisah, to conduct a baseline study on flooding in Sagbama town and its environs and come up with findings for government to take necessary measures that would address it.