COEASU-FUE Kano Assures Of Smooth Transition To Varsity

By Abdullahi Yusuf

The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), Federal University of Education, Kano (FUE), says it is committed to transparency and accountability in the institution’s transition to a full-fledged University.

The union also assured that it would work closely with the university’s management in ensuring a smooth transition process.

The Chairman of the union, Ado Muhammad Abdullahi,made this known while speaking to newsmen in Kano on Monday.

“Our transition process is progressing smoothly. We have a governing council in place working closely with the university management to facilitate a seamless transition.

“Five committees have been constituted to oversee various aspects of the transition, and I am pleased to announce that they have made tremendous progress in their assignments.

“These five committees that have been constituted, they cover different aspects of the activities for the university transition, that is from the college to university transition, which covers the issue of students, issue of academic staff and non-academic staff, issue of infrastructure development and so on.

“The Federal Government has upgraded our provost to the position of acting vice chancellor, and all other principal officers have been asked to maintain their positions in an acting capacity.

“Our schools have been converted to faculties, that is, the various schools that we have, they have now been converted to faculties.

“And arrangements have been included for a resource visitation from the National Universities Commission, which will form the basis for accreditation of courses in various departments under the new dispensation,” Abdullahi said.

He then clarified some misconceptions about the upgrade of the institution which he described as false.

“Some false information has been circulating on social media regarding our transition process. I would like to take this opportunity to set the records straight. One of the claims that a bill was submitted to the National Assembly and that there was agitation from students, teachers, and numerous other groups and individuals before the announcement of the upgrade in 2015, which was entirely false.

“Agitation and submission of the bill came after the upgrade was put on hold. We also want to put on record that FCE Kano, the Federal College of Education Kano was not upgraded alone in 2015. It was upgraded alongside three other colleges, namely FCE Zaria is upgraded, FCE Adeyemi is upgraded, and Alban Ukoku, Federal College of Education, is also upgraded, together with us making four.

“Another false claim is that by admitting NCE students and not listening, has esteemed the compassion of lecturers to professors, the management of the university desires the university to return to college status.

“On the claim that management desires the university to revert to college, one wonders how illogical it is for a provost who is elevated to the position of acting vice chancellor to wish to be demoted to his former position. His deputy, who was three times a member of a union and happens to be a chairman of COEASU, and who spearheaded the struggle for the upgrade while he led the union, and while he was the union’s scribe, would never ever attempt to subvert the orbit of his labor. In fact, all the principal officers are the major beneficiaries of the upgrade. And therefore, it is absurd to claim that they are working to overthrow the upgrade.

“The issue of staff unions in the university, they are also in transition. We cannot simply jump to become university unions when our staff are yet to conclude transition to university payroll,” he said.

He said that the claims are not only false but laughable while emphasizing that applicants for NCE applied for admission before the university status came, explaining that denying them admission would be morally and legally wrong.

“We must conclude resource visitation of courses, determine the number of degree programs we are qualified to run as a university, and obtain a license from the NUC and then ask lecturers to bring their publications for assessment before they are placed on befitting ranks,” the chairman said.

He assured the public that the university is committed to transparency, accountability and excellence to ensure a smooth transition and provide quality education to the students.