BY:
MUDASSIR ALIYU YUNUSA
mudassiray@gmail.com
….We really appreciate and welcome the new Federal Polytechnic Kabo (FEDPOKAB) Kano, because it is a good development to Kano State.
Education is fundamental in human development, it is a human right ought to be acquired by all and sundry, education is among the best and strongest instruments for reducing poverty, gender inequality and then improving health care, bringing peace and stability as well as making individual and society to gain freedom and independent. For any society or community to prosper and become developed, education should be given much priority; there is need for higher investment on education.
Effective concern on education is the key for capacity building which in essence bring so many positive things to the community. With education people of a given geographical settlement will be literate, civilized and become so exposed to development strategies and they can use knowledge to tackle any negative tendency and stigmatization amongst themselves.
The first step for fighting ignorance in a community is through provision of available and standard schools and learning centers ranging from Primary and Secondary Schools, Tertiary Institutions and Universities as well as the establishment of Skills Acquisition and Vocational Training Centres with the aim of making people self reliant and entrepreneurs.
However, Kano is the largest state in Nigeria in terms of population growth, for long, Kano is among the cities that fall within the route of the age long trans- saharan trade known for commercial and business activities in the world. The Centre of Commerce is also among the state with higher concentration of educational institutions owned by both federal and state governments as well as private individuals.
The three Senatorial Zones (Kano Central, Kano North and Kano South) are equally treated particularly with the homogenous nature of Kano people in terms of religion, tribe and ethnic background.
The concentration of Tertiary Institutions in the state ought to be considered for justice and fairness to prevail among the three (3) Senatorial Divisions of the state. Kano Central have Bayero University Kano, (BUK), Yusuf Maitama Sule University, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN with Four Study Centres within Kano Central), Federal College of Education (FCE), State College of Education (Sa’adatu Rimi), Aminu Kano College of Islamic And Legal Studies, Kano State College of Education and Preliminary studies (Formerly known as CAS Kano), School of Management Studies and School of Technology (under Kano State Polytechnic), School of Nursing, School of Hygiene and Environmental Studies, School of Health Technology, Federal College of Agricultural Produce Techonoly and many private universities and degree awarding institutions all situated in Kano Central.
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For Kano North, Federal College of Education (Technical) Bichi, Audu Bako College of Agriculture Danbatta, School of Environmental studies Gwarzo (Kano State Polytechnic), Annex campus of Kano State College of Education and Preliminary Studies Kunchi and also the Newly created Federal Polytechnic Kabo are all sited in the zone. In addition to these, in all 13 local Governments Under Kano North there is one Study Centre of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) facilitated, built, commissioned and supported by the Senator representing the district.
It may interest you to know that Kano South Senatorial Zone is the largest Senatorial District not only in Kano but in the whole Northern Nigeria in terms of population and area demarcated to be part of the district with 15 Local Government areas, Kano South has only Three (3) Government owned Tertiary Institutions all belongs to Kano State Government, (i.e Kano University of Science and Technology Wudil, School of Rural and Entrepreneurship Studies, Rano (under Kano state polytechnic) and Annex Campus of Kano State College of Education and Preliminary Studies at Tudun Wada. There is no single Federal government owned Tertiary Institution in the whole Kano South even a single Study Centre of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) seize to exist in the senatorial zone.
However with the above concentration of educational institutions in the state, Kano South is considered as educationally less developed region and is quite marginalized in terms of concentration of Tertiary Institutions compared to other Senatorial Zones in the State.
We really appreciate and welcome the new Federal Polytechnic Kabo (FEDPOKAB) Kano, because it is a good development to the entire people of Kano State and also a step forward toward producing more graduates from the state through fighting against the delay caused by incessant universities strike.
Our only concern for the people of Kano South Senatorial zone is, they deserve one Federal Institution to be sited at the district for even development and to balance the equation of tertiary education in the state. Though Kano Central took the largest share of all Educational Institutions (both Federal and State) yet there is need for Kano South to have at least one. If we really want justice and fairness the Newly created Federal Polytechnic Should be located at Kano South as all Federal Institutions are located in Kano Central and Kano North. e.g Federal College of Education Technical is situated in Bichi which is under Kano north, same zone with Kabo. Moreso, another bill to establish Federal Medical Center at Gwarzo has passed second reading at the National Assembly. and Gwarzo is also Kano North?
Where is the Senator from Kano South? Where are they? The respective members House of Representatives, Where are the stakeholders from the zone? Where are you all when Federal Government decided to create Polytechnic in the State? Though the Federal Government itself should ought to have conducted a survey and evaluation in respect to establishing any institution in any state intended to benefit from more importantly educational and health institutions, but our people should advice and work to see that the institution should be located at the right place (Kano South) for the simple reason of balancing the concentration of educational institution as well as fear of marginalizing one zone among others.
Therefore, it is pertinent for Kano state and Federal governments to look into this gap and work to solve these educational disparities especially for even development and for the benefit of the teaming population of People of Kano South which is the largest Senatorial District in Northern Nigeria.
MUDASSIR could be reached via mudassiray@gmail.com
