The National Universities Commission ( NUC ) on Monday approved Zamfara State University as the 47th state university and 162 among universities in the country.
Prof. Abubakarheed, the Executive Secretary, NUC while giving a letter of approval to the government of Zamfara state in Abuja, called for more dedication toward promoting education development in the state and country.
Abubakar also urged the government of Zamfara to take full advantage of the establishment of the university and contribute its quota to advance the course of education.
He commended the governor for setting aside N3billion for specific use in staff development, establishment fund and laboratory equipment.
According to him, this commitment is a good model that should be emulated by whoever wants to establish a university.
“I write on behalf of NUC that with effect from Monday, March 12, the Zamfara State University is approved as the 47th state university and also 162 universities in Nigeria.
“Zamfara is the last state to establish a university. But the establishment is apt when you will have to key into the reform programme the NUC is having now and will be of benefit to you.
“The NUC is looking at how we can be more effective in our regulation of all universities in Nigeria.”
Rasheed said investment in higher education, educational growth and knowledge was becoming more important than the natural resources.
He, however, urged the state to increase its activities that would enable the university achieve its goals as it commenced operations later in the year.
He said JAMB, TETFund and NYSC had been notified of the establishment of the university.
The Zamfara state governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari said the event was historic as it would mark the beginning of effort to make Zamfara great, especially in the education.
Yari said the establishment of the university would afford the opportunity to provide education for the teaming youths of the state and as well provide increased development in education.
He said the courses to be offered would cut across social and natural sciences to quickly address the manpower need of the country.
He said the government had set aside N3billion as take-off grant for the university.
“Out of this N3billion, N1billion will be for staff training, N1billion for establishment fund and the other N1billion for laboratory equipment.
“We believe that university education should not be exclusive but be made accessible irrespective of individual social background.’’
According to him, a 350 beds hospital is under construction, which will take off as a university teaching hospital.
Yari, however, said that the committee on the establishment of the university, which had been working for over eight months, had recommended a conventional type of university.
He promised to make welfare of staff as paramount, adding that the state would avoid owing salaries.
Yari also presented the physical master plan of the university and laws that would govern operations of the university to the Executive Secretary of NUC.