Legislators reject plan by FG to reverse upgrade of education college

KANO State House of Assembly has passed a motion directing the state government to urge the Federal Government to reverse its plans to withdraw the upgrade of Federal College of Education, Kano to a University of Education.

In a unanimous move, the House also agreed to direct its federal lawmakers, including the three senators and 24 members of House of Representatives from Kano State to present the decision before the National Assembly for deliberation and consideration.

Besides, the House wanted the lawmakers to further appeal to the Presidency not to go ahead with the plan, which they said would affect the standard of education in the state.

Four colleges of education were upgraded by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 to universities of education

The institutions were Federal College of Education, Kano, Federal College of Education, Zaria, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri and Adeyemi Federal College of Education, Ondo.

However, the institutions were ordered to reverse back to colleges of education status for reasons which are yet to be made known to the public.

Presenting the motion as a matter of public importance at the plenary, Chairman, House Committee on Higher Education Alhaji Abubakar Galadima, representing Bebeji constituency noted that the reversal of the status would affect the standard of education in the institutions.

Galadima insisted that Federal College of Education (FCE), Kano has the basic requisite needed to achieve academic excellence.

He further said, “If you consider the time when the college was established, even long before Bayero University, you will agree with me that FCE should have been converted to a university long before now.

“Don’t be surprised, FCE Kano has been awarding degree in affiliation with Ahmadu Bello University with the needed intellectual capacity. I wonder what is stopping the institution. I want to move that this honorable House move to prevail on the Federal Government to reverse their step and allow the university to remain.”

Meanwhile, an Islamic sect in Kano, Qadiriyyah Nasiriyyah Youth Organisation has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to urgently investigate alleged brutality and inhuman treatment on its members by the Kano State commissioner of police.

A petition signed by the Secretary General of the group, Malam Abubakar Cigari and legal adviser, Bashir Sabi’u, accused the Commissioner of Police in Kano, Mr. Muhammad Musa Katsina, D/C CID Kano Command, Maigana Sani, O/C SIB Kano command, Muhammad Bello, Mopol Iliya Dodo and Sgt. Yusuf Dan Zaria attached to Kofar Wambai police division of degrading treatment, infringement of constitutional rights to human dignity, personal liberty, freedom of religion and belief.

The group posited that the police officers led by Mopol Iliya Dodo, on 2nd October, 2015, at about 9:30 a.m, invaded one Sheikh Abdulqadir Jilani Mosque along Kofar Wambai Quarters in the city centre when worshippers were observing prayers and suddenly descended on them, beating and molesting them.