The National University Commission, NUC, has upgraded the Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, COE, Kano to a university of education.

The NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, while presenting the operational license to the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje in Abuja on Tuesday, said the university has been recognised as the 61st state university in the country.

Mr Rasheed pledged the commission’s support to the university in the area of technical advise for sustainable funding.

“I write on behalf of the commission to inform your excellency that with effect from Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, the Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Kano has been recognised as the 61st university in Nigeria.

” The NUC pledges it’s support and we enjoin his excellency and the Kano State government to take full advantage of the operational document on the establishment for sustainable funding.

”By the copy of this letter, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), TETFund and NYSC will be notified of the establishment of this university,” he said

Meanwhile, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, while receiving the letter said that there was a need for the new university owing to the burden on state education.

Ganduje expressed concern over graduate unemployment, which he said prompted the state government to establish a multi-billion naira skill development centre named after Aliko Dangote and commissioned two weeks ago to help train the youth.

He added that the government also introduced free primary and secondary education but stressed that this was not sufficient to meet the educational need of its people.

He, therefore, said that the new university would make it the third university in the state to absorb the pressure on education system.

” Kano is the most populous state in the federation and therefore by implication we have the highest number of youths who are in need of higher education .

” Presently, we have two state universities but coincidentally, we have one of the oldest and biggest colleges of education in terms of capacity, quality and population and the demand for higher education is increasing day by day.

” We have attracted so many private universities in Kano State but still not enough, so that is why we requested for this college of education to be upgraded to a university of education and we are so happy that we are part of history to have this university,” he said. NAN