By Longtong Ibrahim
The Kaduna state Government in northwestern Nigeria has appealed for calmness among students of the closed tertiary institutions in southern part of the state, saying schools will be reopen as soon as security clearance is gotten from the security council of the state.
The government also stated that it has no agenda to relocate the tertiary institutions or kill education in any part of the state; instead it is making all efforts to uplift the standard of education in the state.
On Tuesday, the Southern Kaduna Youth and Students Forum (SKYSFOM) threatened to pass vote of no confidence on the Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-rufai, if he fails to reopen the closed tertiary institution for academic activities in the area after the ultimatum it gave. They also accused the state government of trying to kill the education sector in the area.
Briefing newsmen on Wednesday, the Kaduna state government through it commissioners – Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Andrew Jonathan Nok and the Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Paul Manya Dogo, said as soon as the security committee is satisfy with the security situation of the region, school activities will resume fully, noting that, security issues of the state is not determine by the government alone but by the Security Council comprising of all the security outfits in the state.
“We have not received clearance to go ahead and reopen the closed schools, but we are making frantic effort to see that they are reopened. Alternative arrangements were put in place for students of the Kafanchan campus to come down to the Kaduna campus in order to meet up and earn sufficient credits with accommodation provided for them,” the Education Commissioner, Andrew Nok said.
He added that, having known the repercussion of one students being killed in any crisis situation, the student’s security is of great concern to them, as such allowing them to come from towns is risky since there are no hostels in the campuses.
On allegations that all tertiary institutions would be relocated from the region, the commissioner explained that, construction works are still ongoing in the Kaduna state university campus to put more life into it while programs run in the campus are included in Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Exams to admit students for 2017/2018 sessions.
“In the month of May Security Council gave its approval for final year student of the College of Nursing and Midwifery to write their final year examination, and also two weeks back, students of the preliminary training school wrote their entrance examination, with adequate security provided. That shows that there are no any bad intentions concerning the schools in the region by government,” Commissioner of Health, Paul Manya Dogo pointed out.
He however called for understanding and cooperation with government to see that security situation is improved in the state.
Corroborating what the commissioners said, Senior Special Assistance to the State Governor on Media and Publicity, Samuel Aruwa,added that arrangements are put in place to build a security base around the College of Education, Gidan waya campus.
The State had closed the Kafanchan campus of the Kaduna State University (KASU), Kaduna State College of Nursing and Midwifery, Kafanchan and the Kaduna State College of Education Gidan-waya since December 2016, following security challenges in the area.
