Wudil varsity undergoing massive change
When I got admitted into Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST) in 2010, KUST Wudil was not up to standard in terms of the management, infrastructure, facilities and even the caliber and number of students it graduates annually. In my stay at KUST, I have witnessed the tenures of three vice chancellors from, Professor […]
When I got admitted into Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST) in 2010, KUST Wudil was not up to standard in terms of the management, infrastructure, facilities and even the caliber and number of students it graduates annually. In my stay at KUST, I have witnessed the tenures of three vice chancellors from, Professor Ibrahim Garba Riruwai who performed excellently, to Professor Umar Garba Dambatta who had a short but a successful tenure as well.
His success was due to the fact that he was the pioneer VC of the university, though in acting capacity. So he had knowledge of where and what needed fixing. Then came Professor Shehu Alhaji Musa who took over in November 2013. I have always had the desire to attend a prestigious university, having being opportune to attend decent primary and secondary schools. KUST has the golden opportunity of being a decent university because Prof Shehu Alhaji Musa has painstakingly built it in all aspects into being so.
On the day he assumed office he unveiled what he termed as seven points target set to move the university forward. The points revolve around achieving academic excellence in terms of the programmes that the university will run, expansion of the existing programmes that are currently being run at the university and also introducing new programmes that will be beneficial to the people of Kano State, Nigeria and humanity in general.
He also said he would improve on the use of ICT in the operations of the varsity. Another point of concern was the internally generated revenue. Next to this is the staff development, which includes, among others, the training and re-training the staffers well and improving their welfare. In a nutshell, he intended to make the university a reference point. All the seven points target are addressed or being addressed with exceptional commitment and administrative acumen. How they are addressed or being addressed will be discussed below:
The university has witnessed the initiations and completion of projects like the university clinic, promotion exercise that cuts across all strata of staff, hatching of five internal professors with about 10 in anticipation very soon. He has also succeeded in providing staff welfare packages like grant of vehicles and furniture loans, sponsoring of staff to higher and further education among others.
Never have I witnessed such a more massive execution of capital projects, both ongoing and completed than in his tenure as the VC. The ongoing projects (36) of them include the construction of Faculty of Computing and Mathematical Science, Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences, road networks and many others, sponsored by the state government, TETFUND and other donor agencies and organizations.
On the part of academic excellence, his tenure has successfully carried out research in cowpea germplasm, Irish potato and wheat. New directorates have been established for quick service delivery in order to move the university to greater heights.
Among the new directorates is the Directorate for Continuing and Innovative Education to cater for the institute and improve KUST’s revenue generation.
Whoever has achieved, or is achieving, such successes within two years deserves not only to be congratulated but to be celebrated as well.
Farouk Muhammad
Department of Agric Economics and Extension, 500L KUST Wudil
[email protected]