Mukhtar Yahya Usman

The outgoing year 2019 certainly recorded major events in the education sector of Kano state. Issues like sexual harassment in tertiary institutions, declaration  of free and compulsory education by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje as well as abolition of the HND/Degree dichotomy in public service by the Kano state government dominated public discussions in the sector.

Below are some of the issues picked by Kano Focus:

Sexual harassment in tertiary institutions

A number of students in Kano tertiary institutions have experienced the pains of sexual harassment in the hands of staff, particularly academic ones, working in the affected institutions.

In August, a magistrate court remanded the Vice Principal of School of Health Technology Bebeji in prison for five days over allegations of sexually harassing a married student.

The suspect Mas’ud Abdullahi, who had completed his PhD and was about to join the staff of Federal University Dutse, allegedly demanded sex from the student in exchange for marks even though he was aware that she was married.

Mr Abdullahi was arraigned before Magistrate Aminu Fagge, who later granted him bail and released his ID card and vehicle which was confiscated as exhibits.

The court however refused the request to release the mobile phone of the suspect, saying it contained evidence of Mr Abdullahi’s romantic messages sent to the victim.

Another lecturer, Ali Shehu, working with the Kano School of Technology, was also arrested during a sting operation while he reportedly inserted his fingers in the private parts of his female student, whom he had pestered for sex.

Mr Shehu, 36, was arraigned at Kano Chief Magistrates Court and later remanded in prison custody after pleading guilty to the charges of breach of trust and sexual harassment, offenses that contradict sections 95 and 98 of the penal code.

However the Kano State Polytechnic disowned the suspect.

Reacting to the development, registrar of the Polytechnic, Ado Mohammadu expressed shock on the incidence and told journalists that the accused was not a staff of the institution.

The registrar clarified that thought, Shehu was posted from the office of the Head of Service, Kano state on a part-time job with the Polytechnic.

Kwankwaso offers foreign scholarship to 370 First Class graduates

The Kwankwasiyya Development Foundation, in Kano offered foreign scholarship to 370 postgraduate students to study in universities in India and Sudan.

Sen. Rabi’u Kwankwaso, the founder of the foundation and former governor of Kano state, made the disclosure at a send-off party for beneficiaries of the programme in Kano.

He said the foundation had paid all the fees ranging from tuition, accommodation and personal allowances for the beneficiaries as well as their return tickets.

Yusuf Maitama Sule University hold maiden convocation

At least 80 students graduated with first class degrees from Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano (YUMSUK) when the university conducted its first, second and third combined convocation ceremony in Kano city.

During the event 755 students graduated with second class upper; 1, 309 got lower second class, while 312 graduated with third class degrees out of a total of 2, 456 students.

Also 527 students were graduates from 2015/2016 session, 693 were from the 2016/2017 academic session, while 1, 236 graduated from 2017/2018 session.

Kano medical students stranded in India over N22m school fees

In February, 14 medical students from Kano State studying in India on the state government’s scholarship with deportation following the failure of the Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s administration to offset their school fees of about N22 million ($59,200).

The stranded students were among several others placed on foreign scholarships by the administration of former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

The 14 students who were studying medicine in India’s SS Institute of Medical Science and Research Centre (SSIMS and RC), Davanagere, ran into trouble when the state government reportedly declined to clear their outstanding school fees.

Kano University beats UNN, Yaba Tech in national essay competition

The Kano State Univervisity of Science and Technology (KUST) Wudil emerged winner in the National Engineering, Science and Technology Essay Competition (NESTEC) beating University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and Yaba College of Technology to the 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.

Ganduje declares free, compulsory education

In May 2019 the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, declared free primary and secondary education for school-age children in the state.‎

Governor Ganduje made the declaration in his acceptance speech, shortly after being sworn in as Kano State Governor for a second term in.

He promised free and compulsory basic education for all school-age children in Kano.

According to him, tertiary education for Kano indigenes will also be subsidized.

Kano abolishes Degree HND dichotomy

Another development to remember in 2019 is the abolition of the dichotomy between the Higher National Diploma (HND) and Bachelors’ degree holders in the state.

Ganduje made this known during the workers day celebrations at Sani Abacha Stadium.

According to Ganduje, his administration will continue to give priority to the welfare of civil servants and all residents of the state.

The Kano branch National Labour Congress (NLC) chairman Kabiru Ado Minjibir, appealed to the state government to implement payment of allowances for workers of state tertiary institution as applicable to their colleagues in the Federal civil service.

Ganduje pays N2bn debt for Kano students in Sudan University

Kano State Government settled over N2 billion outstanding fees of its students in El-Razi University in Sudan.

The state government said the debt was incurred by the administration of ex-governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Ganduje said he inherited the students from the previous administration with a lot of money to be paid.

The governor added that the administration also paid over N300 million to Cyprus University to enable students sponsored by the state to complete their programmes.‎

Kano School of Nursing upgraded to degree awarding institution

The Kano State House of Assembly amended the law establishing the state College of Nursing and Midwifery to enable it commence award of Degree, Diploma and Higher National Diploma (HND).

The House Majority Leader, Alhaji Labaran Abdul-Madari said the college which has been awarding only certificates will now be upgraded to award degrees and other certificates.

According to him, the law will also give the college the opportunity to admit students with five credits, including Mathematics, English and Biology especially those at the rural areas for one year training on nursing and midwifery.

He explained that this will give students from rural areas opportunities to gain knowledge on nursing, so they can help reduce maternal and infant mortality.