Centre for Community Development Education Law

CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION LAW

1. Citation. This Law may be cited as the Centre for Community Development Education Law, 1986.

2. Interpretation. In this Law - “academic staff” means the teaching staff of the Centre; “Board” means the Board of Studies established under section 11 of this Law; “Centre” means the Centre for Community Development Education established under section 6 of this Law; “Chairman” means Chairman of the Council; “Commissioner” means the Commissioner in the State charged with the responsibility for local government matters or in his absence the Permanent Secretary; “Council” means the Advisory Council of the Centre established under section 6 of this Law; “Director” means the Director of the Centre; “Government” means the Government of Delta State; “Governor” means the Governor of Delta State; “member” means a member of the Council or of the Board as the case may be; “State” means the Delta State of Nigeria.

3. Establishment of the Centre. (1) There shall be established in the State an institution of learning to b$ known as the Centre for Community Development Education, Delta State. (2) The Centre shall be an affiliate of the University of Delta State. (3) The Centre shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common sea in its corporate name.

4. Object of the Centre. The objects of the Centre shall be - (a) to provide courses of instruction and learning on a full-time and part-time basis for persons of either sex without discrimination as to race, sex, tribe or creed, for the purposes of producing well-qualified and suitable intermediate level manpower in community development education; (b) to organise and provide training courses leading to diploma, certificate or other distinction in community development education and/or related areas of study; (c) to arrange and provide conferences, fieldwork, seminars, symposia and such like activities for such persons as may from time to time be determined by the Centre; (d) to conduct research into the theory and practice of community development education and to make the result of such research available to Community development workers, teachers and administrators; (e) to provide the relevant techniques for the translation and use of the knowledge of behavioural sciences in life situations; (f) to co-operate with similar institutions in the country in matters of common interest; and (g) to provide such other services "as the Centre may think fit, towards the advancement of community development education.

5. Power of the Centre. The Centre shall, subject to the provisions of section 4 of this Law and any regulation for the time being in force have power - (a) to take over and form as part of the Centre any related training institution with the approval of the Government; (b) to create posts and offices tenable at the Centre subject to the provisions of section 7 (2) of this Law; (c) to prescribe the academic requirements for new entrant’s front time to time and to offer admission to prospective candidates from within and outside the state; (d) to institute and award scholarships, bursaries, medals, prizes and other titles, distinctions, awards and forms of assistance; (e) to promote discipline and welfare of members of staff and the students of the Centre; (f) either solely or jointly with the University of Delta, to hold examinations and grant diplomas certificates and other distinctions to persons who have pursued a course of study approved by the Centre and have satisfied such other requirements as the bodies may lay down; (g) to demand and receive from any student or any other person attending the Centre for the purpose of receiving instructions such fees as the Centre may from time to time determine; (h) to dispose of any of its movable and immovable property subject to the approval of the Commissioner in respect of immovable property; (i) to accept gifts, legacies and donations but without obligation to accept same for a particular purpose unless it approves the terms and conditions attaching thereto; (j) to enter into contracts, establish trusts, act as trustee, solely or jointly with any persons, and employ and act through agents; (k) to erect, provide, equip and maintain libraries, laboratories, lecture halls, halls of residence, refectories, sports grounds, playing fields and other building of things necessary or suitable to or convenient for any of its functions; (l) to hold public lectures and undertake the publishing and setting of books; (m) subject to the limitations or condition that may be imposed, to invest any money accruing to the Centre by way of endowment, whether for general or specific purposes and such other monies as may not immediately be required for current expenditure, in any investment or securities or in the purchase or improvement of land, with power from time to time to vary any such investment and to deposit any’ money for the time being uninvested with any bank on deposit or current account; (n) to borrow, whether at interest or not and if need be upon the security of any of the property movable or immovable of the Centre, such money as the Council may from time to time find necessary or expedient to borrow, subject to the approval of the Commissioner; (o) to do anything which it is authorised or required by this Law to do; and (p) to do such other things whether or not incidental to the foregoing powers as may advance the objects of the Centre.

6. Establishment and constitution of Advisory Council. (1) There shall be established for the Centre a policy making body to be known as the Advisory Council. (2) The Council shall consist of the following members - (a) a Chairman who shall be appointed by the Governor upon the advice of the Commissioner. (b) a representative of the Federal Ministry of Social Development Youth and sports; (c) two representatives of the University of Delta, namely, a member of the Senate and the Director of the Institute of Public Administration and extension Services; (d) the Director; (e) a representative of the Board of Studies established under section 11; (f) a representative of the State Ministry of Finance; (g) the Chief Social Welfare Officer of the State; (h) a representative of the State Ministry of Education; (i) the Chief Community Development Inspector in the State; (j) a representative of the State Ministry of Agriculture. (3) There shall be an Administrative Secretary of the Centre who shall be the secretary of the Council. (4) The term of office of the Chairman shall be for three years from the date of his appointment and he shall be eligible for re-appointment for another term of three years.

7. Functions of Council. The Functions of the Council shall be - (a) to advise on all matters that affect the Centre including policy issues, control of all property and finances of the Centre and also in any other such matters which in its own opinion will facilitate the carrying out of the objects of the Centre and promote its best interest; (b) to appoint staff of all cadres as it may deem necessary, promote and discipline such staff in accordance with its regulations or until one is made in accordance with the Civil Service Rules; (c) to appoint such committees from amongst its own members as may be necessary and to delegate to such committees any of its powers and duties as it may think fit; (d) to receive recommendations and determine the fees to be paid by students undergoing courses of instructions at the Centre; (e) to consider the recommended school curriculum submitted by the Board of Studies and advise the Commissioner accordingly; (f) to receive and consider the annual budgets and submit same to the Com1 missioner not later than the end of September of each year; (g) to exercise on behalf of the Centre, any of the powers conferred on it under this Law.

8. Procedure for the removal of members of Council. If it appears to the Council that there are reasons for believing that any member of the Council should be removed from office on grounds of misconduct or of inability to perform the functions of his office, the Council shall, after due consideration recommend the removal of that member to the Commissioner.

9. Quorum and procedure of Council meeting. (1) At any meeting of the Council, six members present shall form a quorum, provided that the Director of the Centre is one of the members present and no business shall be transacted at any meeting unless a quorum of members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. (2) The Chairman shall preside at every meeting of, the Council and in his absence the other members present shall elect one of their number to be Chairman of the meeting. (3) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section, the Council shall have the power to regulate its own proceedings and may for that purpose make standing orders. (4) Subject to subsection (1) of this section, the proceedings of the Council shall be valid notwithstanding any vacancy in its membership or any defect or irregularity in the appointment of its member. (5) Where the Council desires to obtain the services or advice of any person not being members of the Council in respect of any matter or question, it may co-opt such persons for the purpose, and the persons so co-opted shall take part in the deliberations of the Council at the meeting in respect of which they are co-opted save that they shall not be entitled to vote on any matter or question.

10. Meeting of Council. (1) The Council shall meet at least three times in an academic year as and when necessary for the performance of its functions under this Law. (2) Any four members of the Council may by notice in writing signed by them require the Administrative Secretary to convene a special meeting of the Council and on receipt of such notice the Director shall convene a meeting accordingly.

11. Establishment and functions of Board. (1) There shall be established for the purpose of the academic matters of the Centre a Board to be known as the Board of Studies, which shall consist of the following members - (a) the Director who shall be the chairman; (b) the Director, Institute of Public Administration and Extension Services, Delta State University or his representative; (c) all full-time academic staff; (d) a representative of the Senate of the University of Delta; (e) the Chief Social Welfare Officer of the State; (f) a representative of Community Development Division of the State Ministry of Local (government; (g) a representative of the State Ministry of Education. (2) The Administrative Secretary of the Centre shall be the secretary of the Board. (3) The quorum for the meeting of this Board shall be five members of the Board. (4) The Board shall, subject to the approval of the Council, be responsible for the day-to- day implementation of policy with respect to all academic matters of the Centre and shall in particular and without prejudice to the generality of the aforegoing, determine le for the purpose of advising the Commission - (a) the entrance requirements to be satisfied by any person who may be offered admission as a student of the Centre; (b) the standard of performance to be attained by students of the Centre in any examinations conducted by the Centre; (c) the review and approval of examination results; (d) the curricula for any course of study to be conducted by the Centre; (e) the award of scholarships, prizes and other academic honours to deserving students of the Centre; and (f) such other related matters as may from time to time be referred to the Board by the Council.

12. Proceedings of Board meetings. (1) The proceedings at any meeting of the Board shall be regulated in the same manner as the proceedings at meetings of the Council as provided for in section 9 of this Law, subject to such modifications and adaptations as may be considered necessary by the Board. (2) The Board shall have the power - (a) to appoint committees such as the Admissions Committee and the Committee of Examiners from all of its own members and to delegate to them such of its powers and duties as it thinks fit; (b) to make rules for the conduct of the business of its committees for the purpose of exercising any of its functions or for regulating its. own procedures, concerning admission, promotion and discipline of the students.

13. Committees of Board. (1) The Admission Committee shall set admission standards and recommend students for admission to the Centre for the approval of the Board. (2) The Committee of Examiners shall - (a) set examination questions and forward the questions to the Chief Moderator; (b) conduct all examinations; and (c) mark students’ scripts and compile results for the moderators and endorse the moderated results to the Board for review and approval.

14. Staff of Centre. (1) The principal officers of the Centre shall consist of - (a) the Director; (b) the Administrative Secretary; (c) the Chief Accountant; (d) the Chief Librarian; and (e) any other staff on permanent appointment that shall be deemed necessary for the effective running of the Centre. (2) All principal officers shall be civil servants or such other permanent staff recruited outside the Civil Service as the Commissioner may deem fit.

15. Appointment of officers. Pending the time when the regulations and conditions of the appointment shall have been determined, officers as deemed appropriate shall be deployed from the Civil Service.

16. Functions of officers. (1) The Director shall be the Chief Academic and Administrative Officer of the Centre and shall be responsible to the Council for the day-to-day administration of the Centre. (2) The Administrative Secretary shall be responsible to the Director for routine administrative matters of the Centre and shall also function as the Secretary to the Council and the Board. (3) The Chief Accountant shall be responsible to the Director for the financial administration of the Centre and shall in particular be responsible for the annual estimates and financial statement of the Centre. (4) The Chief Librarian shall be responsible to the Director for the library service of the Centre. (5) All other officers shall be directly responsible to the various sectional heads under whom they work.

17. Discipline of staff. If it appears to the Council that there are reasons for believing that any of the staff, be it academic staff or administrative staff, of the Centre should be disciplined on grounds of misconduct or inability to perform the functions of his office, the Council may employ any such disciplinary measure as necessary including termination, suspension, interdiction, reprimand or dismissal.

18. Discipline of students. (1) Subject to the provisions of this Law, power to exercise disciplinary control over the students of the Centre shall vest in the Council. (2) Where it appears to the Director that any student of the Centre is guilty of any act of misconduct, the Director may, without prejudice to subsection (1) of this section direct - (a) that the student shall hot during such period as may be specified in the direction, participate in such activities of the Centre or make use of such facilities of the Centre as may be specified in the Direction; or (b) that the activities of the student shall, during such period as may be specified in the direction, be restricted in such a manner as may be specified in the direction; or (c) that the student be expelled from the Centre; or (d) that the student be restricted for such period as may be specified in the direction; or (e) in the case where the student has damaged or caused some damage to any property of the Centre, that the student replace the property damaged either in cash or in kind; and (f) the Director shall report the fact of his action to the Council within seven days of such action. (3) Where a direction is given under subsection (2) (c) and (d) of this section in respect of any student, the student may within à period of two weeks from the date of direction appeal to the Council which shall, after causing such inquiry to be made into the matter as it may consider just, either confirm or modify or set aside the direction in such manner as it may deem fit and the decision of the Council shall be final. (4) The fact that art appeal from a direction is made in pursuance of the last proceeding subsection shall not affect the operation of the direction while the appeal is pending. (5) The Council may make rules with respect to the conduct of the students in any hostel that may be maintained or operated by or on behalf of the Centre.

19. Funds of Centre. The funds of the Centre shall include - (a) the fees charged by and paid to the Centre for courses of instruction received at the Centre; (b) such sums of money as may from time to time accrue to the centre by way of grants, loans, subsidies, endowments or otherwise; (c) donations, gifts and legacies from any sources whatsoever whether on account of specific projects or generally for the purpose of the Centre; and (d) any other resources whether in money or money’s worth which may from time to time be vested in the centre.

20. Exclusion of discrimination. No person shall be required to satisfy requirements as to any of the following matters that is to say, race (including ethnic grouping), sex, nationality, religious or political persuasion as a condition precedent to becoming or continuing to be a student of the Centre, or the holder of any certificate or other distinctions or awards by the Centre and no student shall be subject to any disadvantage or accorded any advantage in the Centre by reason of the aforementioned matters.

21. Transfer of property to the Centre for Community Development Education. There shall be transferred to and vested in the Centre, as from the date of the commencement of this Law, all property both movable and immovable and all rights and liabilities of the Rural Training Centre, Delta State.

22. Application of the Public Officers’ Protection Law. The provisions of the Public Officers’ Protection Law shall apply in relation to every member of the Council, Board and to every officer of the Centre in respect of anything done or caused to be done by him in good faith in the course of his duty under or by virtue of this Law.

23. Accounts and annual reports. (1) The Centre may incur any expenditure necessary for or incidental to the carrying out of its functions under this Law. (2) The Centre shall keep proper accounts in a form which shall conform with satisfactory public service standards of its receipts, payments, credits and liabilities and shall submit same from time to time with vouchers to the Director of Audit in the State. (3) The Council shall before the end of September of each year prepare and submit to the Commissioner for approval the estimate of its revenue and expenditure in respect of the next succeeding year. (4) The Council shall at the end of the year submit to the Commissioner a report of the activities of the Centre during that year.

24. Regulations. The Council may with the approval of the Commissioner make regulations generally for the purpose of this Law and in particular may make regulations with respect to any of the following - (a) admissions into the Centre; (b) discipline of students; (c) courses and curricula of studies at the Centre; (d) administrative and establishment matters; (e) non-academic matters; (f) the procedure for the writing of petitions by officers of the Centre; and (g) such other matters as the Council may deem fit.