THESHIELD Garkuwa
Related Articles
The present APC administration says it has expended over 7.3 billion Naira towards improving tertiary education in the state from 2015 to date.
The special Adviser to the Governor on Higher Education, Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya made this known during a media briefing organized by the correspondents chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists-NUJ at government house, Katsina.
Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya explained that the amount were spent on erection of buildings and renovation of existing ones in the headquarters of the Department of Higher Education. and the four tertiary institutions owned by the state government.
Similarly he said some of the monies were expended on payment of scholarship in tertiary institutions across Nigeria and students in Sudan and Jordan inherited from the previous administration.
He revealed that some of the expenses incurred by the Department were from assistance being rendered to federal university in Dutsinma, the National open university and even some private tertiary institutions in the state.
Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya explained that in the process of accreditation of some of the courses being run by the four institutions, monies were expended to meet the standards set up by the National Universities Commission-NUC, the National Board for Technical Education-NBTE and the National Colleges of Education Commission- NCCE.
He announced that even private students used to receive assistance from the Higher Education Department to persue programmes of studies either in Nigeria or abroad that would assist towards the development of Katsina state and humanity at large.
Giving a breakdown, Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya explained that over 1. 9 billion Naira was spent from 2015 to date by the Masari led administration in providing infrastructure and other services at Umar Musa Yar’adua University, Katsina.
Similarly, he said that over 135 million Naira was spent on the provision of infrastructure and other services at Hassan Usman Katsina polytechnic during the period under review.
On Isah Kaita College of Education, Dutsinma, Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya explained that the Masari led administration expended over 712 million Naira towards the provision of infrastructure and other services from 2015: to date.
He said that the sum of over 139 million Naira was spent on Yusufu Bala Usman college, Daura for the provision of infrastructure and other services.
On donations to institutions and organizations, the Special Adviser on Higher Education revealed that the construction of study centre in Masari for the National Open university was executed at the cost of over 174 million Naira, adding that the office furniture supplied to the study centre engulfed over 19 million Naira.
In addition, Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya revealed that over 44 million Naira was spent for the provision of 100 desktop computers at Masari NOUN study centre, stressing that a new Toyota Hilux was also purchased and handed over to Masari open university study centre.
Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya revealed that the state government donated 150 desktop computers for the equipping of the Based Test center of federal university, Dutsinma at the cost of over 51 million Naira.
He announced that over 2.5 million Naira was spent in the purchase of 15 cows and bulls as a replacement to those rustled by bandits at federal University, Dutsinma.
He added that the state government also donated 2 million Naira to federal university, Dutsinma for the hosting of Animal Production Annual conference.
Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya revealed that the state government donated 20 million Naira to Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin of Kwara state.
He said that the Department of Higher Education purchased and donated a vehicle to the Joint consultative Forum of the four institutions of Higher learning in the state.
Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya revealed that the state government spent over 314 million Naira for the purchase of vehicles and donated to various chapters of National Association of Katsina state Students-NAKATS.
Under the special foreign scholarship scheme, he said that the state government from 2015 to date spend over 1 billion Naira, adding that the state government sponsored staff of state owned tertiary institutions to undergo masters and PhD courses in the sum of over 62 million Naira.
He announced that over 3.2 billion Naira was spent on the payment of scholarship to Katsina state students and other logistics from 2015 to date.
Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya revealed that over 10.7 million Naira was spent in sponsoring a delegation to attend the 40th session of the King Abdul’aziz international Holy Qur’anic Recitation competition in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, adding that over 13.4 million Naira was spent in the sponsorship of the state delegation to attend the 62nd international Holy Qur’anic Recitation competition in Malaysia.
He said another donation of 8.5 million Naira to NAKATS during their formal elections and subsequent inaugurations from 2015 to date.
He announced that the Department had recruited over 207 Academic and Non Academic staff for the four institutions of Higher learning in the state.
Alhaji Bishir Ruwan Godiya revealed that over 100 million Naira was spent in the accreditation of various courses in the four institutions of Higher learning in the state from 2015 to date.
On staff welfare, the Special Adviser revealed that the state government had approved 70 years as retirement age for Professors in the institutions, stressing that 65 years is the retirement age for non teaching staff in UMYU.
He announced that 65 years is now the retirement age for Academic staff in HUKPOLY, IKCOE, YBUCOLLEGE.
He announced that during the period under review, the Masari led administration had ensured the commencement of Degree programmes in IKCOE and HUKPOLY as well as creation of additional programmes in YBUCOLLEGE, Daura.
He also said it was under the administration of Governor Masari that private tertiary institutions were registered and started operations in the state.
