The Lifeline Education Resource Development Centre (LERDC) is a non-governmental organization promoting modern educational for all. The centre is based in Kaduna and founded in 1997 in response to the deepening need for educational reform in the nation. Since its inception LERDC has worked to improve standards of education in Nigeria. It is in furtherance of these efforts that the Centre has initiated both the Education Watch Journal & the Garkuwa Education Hall of Fame.
The Board of Trustees of the Hall of Fame is made of five (5) distinguished senior citizens under the chairmanship of Professor Adamu Baikie who until recently was the Vice- Chancellor of – Nasarawa State University. Alhaji Shehu Aliyu Shagari, former President Federal Republic of Nigeria (1979-1983) is Patron to the hall of fame.
The Founders
Alhaji Shehu Shagari GCFR
Teacher, administrator, politician, farmer and community leader. Shehu Shagari was science teacher at the Sokoto Middle school. Member of Parliament 1959, minister of Economic Development 1960, minister of Internal Affairs 1962 and minister of Works and Survey 1965. He was again appointed minister of Economic affairs and later minister of Finance by Gen Yakubu Gowon. In 1979 Shagari was elected the 1st Executive President of Nigeria. Shehu Shagari is great lover of his profession-teaching. He holds the title of the Turakin Sakkwato.
Professor Adamu Baikie (CON)
Professor Adamu Baikie, the immediate past Vice-Chancellor of the Nasarawa State University. Professor Baikie is a world class educationist. He served as head and dean of the faculty of education of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and later as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin for a period spanning 8 years. Baikie has also served as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lesotho. He is arguably the father of teacher education in Nigeria. Prof Baikie is highly respected for his contributions in teacher education beyond the shores of Nigeria.
Professor Gidado Tahir
Professor Gidado Tahir is a teacher, educational planner and administrator. He has had a long engagement in teacher development. He was the Provost of the Federal College of Education Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria, and. later Executive Secretary Universal Basic Education Commission, Abuja. He has served at various times as council member of many federal and state institutions some of which include the Fodio University Sokoto, Gongola State College of Education and the Adamawa State Agency for Mass Education. Professor Tahir is a member of the Nigerian Academy of Education.
Hajiya Amina AZ-Zubairu
Hajiya Amina Az – Zubairu has been very successful in the private sector. Amina is concerned about the state of education of particularly rural communities. She is the founder of the Gombe Education Foundation, an NGO concerned with addressing quality issues in education, and providing support for the less privileged children to be in school. She was appointed Senior Special Assistant to former president Obasanjo, a position she holds till date.
Mr. Mataimaki T. Maiyashi
Mr. Mataimaki T. Maiyashi Teacher, education administrator, planner and community mobiliser. Born in 01/05/1950. Maiyashi has had a varied public career working with communities at various levels. Has served as Kaduna State commissioner for home affairs, information & culture, and later commissioner for education and youth development. Maiyashi had been engaged in strategic planning, project management, education resources development, teacher professional development and working with communities. He has been a long term consultant providing technical support for the Universal Basic Education (UBE) involving 16 States of the Federation and a number of Federal Agencies as Regional Team Leader North which included Benue, Borno, Niger, Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Taraba and the FCT Abuja.