Gaya Polytechnic to become regional hub for technical education – Kurawa

By Umar Idris Shuaibu, Kano

The Gaya Polytechnic is being positioned to become a major regional hub for technical education, attracting students from across Kano State, northern Nigeria and beyond, the Chairman of the institution’s Establishment Implementation Committee, Professor Mukhtar Atiku Kurawa, has said.

Kurawa stated this while speaking on a radio programme in Kano, where he disclosed that preparations were at an advanced stage for the institution to commence academic activities before the end of 2026.

He said the polytechnic was conceived to address the shortage of tertiary institutions in Kano South and provide young people with practical and technical skills that would enable them to become self-reliant.

According to him, community leaders had approached Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf while he was a governorship candidate, requesting the establishment of a tertiary institution, particularly a science and technology polytechnic, as one of the key projects for developing the region.

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Kurawa said his own involvement in official assignments, including his service as a board member and external examiner with the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, had also exposed him to the shortage of tertiary institutions in Kano South and reinforced the need for such an institution.

He said Governor Yusuf fulfilled the promise after winning the election by setting up an initial technical committee to make recommendations on the establishment of the polytechnic.

The recommendations, he said, led to the constitution of a 14-member Establishment Implementation Committee, which was inaugurated in August 2025 with him as chairman.

Kurawa said the committee was authorised to co-opt additional experts, including former Rector of Kano State Polytechnic, Mallam Zubairu Ammani, and other professionals, to strengthen its capacity and accelerate the establishment process.

He said the committee initially identified seven programmes for the institution: Mechatronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Computer Science, Accountancy, Public Administration and Business Administration.

However, he explained that the number was reduced to four for the initial take-off because the available facilities at the temporary campus could not accommodate all seven programmes.

The four programmes selected for the initial phase are Electrical/Electronics Engineering Technology, Computer Engineering Technology, Computer Science and Accountancy.

He said the committee had compiled and submitted a list of modern equipment and other resources required for effective teaching and learning to the relevant authorities for procurement.

Kurawa said the permanent site had also been substantially expanded after Governor Yusuf inspected the original location and directed that the land be enlarged to meet regulatory requirements and provide room for future development.

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He explained that the National Board for Technical Education requires a minimum of 50 hectares for state-owned polytechnics, prompting the government to expand the Gaya site to cover two kilometres along the Gaya-Ajiya road and one kilometre inward.

According to him, the survey subsequently put the total land area at approximately 199.9 hectares, giving the institution nearly 200 hectares for long-term expansion.

He said the existing secondary school facilities handed over for the immediate take-off of the polytechnic included student hostels, a mosque, staff offices, the principal’s quarters and other facilities.

Kurawa said the structures had been renovated and modernised to serve as the institution’s temporary campus while work continued on the permanent site.

He added that the committee had engaged the National Board for Technical Education in Kaduna and presented its plans, with the regulatory body expressing satisfaction with the initiative.

The professor said the establishment of the polytechnic was particularly important given Kano’s large population and the need to equip young people with practical and technical skills.

He stressed that higher education should go beyond the acquisition of certificates, arguing that technical education should equip graduates with practical skills to become job creators rather than job seekers.

Kurawa also projected significant socio-economic development for Gaya and surrounding communities as the institution becomes operational.

He said ongoing development in Gaya included road construction, including a dual carriageway connecting the town and a five-kilometre internal road network approved by the state government.

He said compensation had also been paid to people whose properties were affected by the development, with the government adopting an enhanced compensation arrangement under which affected landowners received 50 per cent upfront and the balance subsequently.

According to him, the compensation was intended to enable affected farmers and landowners to reinvest or establish alternative businesses.

Kurawa commended the Gaya Emirate and residents of the community for their support and cooperation towards the establishment of the institution.

He said the Gaya Local Government chairman had also offered available housing facilities, including his official residence, for use by principal officers and staff of the polytechnic pending the completion of permanent accommodation.

He added that several residential buildings at the Science College in Gaya had also been identified for use by the institution, with renovation work ongoing.

On admission, Kurawa said the polytechnic would not be restricted to Gaya or Kano South, stressing that admission would be open to qualified candidates from across Kano State, northern Nigeria and the country.

He said restricting the institution to a particular locality would limit its growth and potential, noting that diversity of students and staff was important to the development and reputation of higher institutions.

“Our vision is for this institution to grow into a renowned polytechnic recognised across Africa and beyond,” he said.

Kurawa said the nearly 200-hectare site would allow the institution to expand its programmes and facilities for decades without facing land constraints.

He said the decision to develop a single, consolidated campus would also improve administration, resource management and the overall academic environment.

According to him, the expanded site would eventually accommodate additional phases of development and enable the polytechnic to introduce more cutting-edge technical programmes to serve Gaya, Kano State and Nigeria at large.