BEYOND STRUCTURAL REFORMS: THE FUTURE OF TERTIARY EDUCATION IN KANO STATE
By Tijjani Sarki
Good Governance Advocate and Public Policy Analyst
15 March 2026
Good governance, in its truest and most enduring form, is not measured by the number of institutions created or dissolved, but by the quality of leadership, competence, accountability, and foresight that guide public institutions. As a long-standing advocate for responsible governance and institutional reform, I have always maintained that public sector restructuring must ultimately serve the greater goal of improving efficiency, strengthening service delivery, and advancing the public good.
It is from this perspective that the recent decision of the Kano State Government under the leadership of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf to dissolve the Ministry of Higher Education and merge it with the Ministry of Education deserves commendation and thoughtful reflection. At a time when education systems across the country face increasing pressure to deliver quality outcomes, such a decision represents a bold and timely step an action taken at the right moment to reposition the governance structure of education in Kano State.
However, structural reform should not be seen as an end in itself. Rather, it must serve as a strategic gateway to correct long-standing institutional abnormalities that have affected the tertiary education sector in various ramifications. The merger therefore presents a rare opportunity to confront systemic challenges and restore efficiency, accountability, and professionalism within the management of higher education institutions across the state.
Having worked as a staff member of one of the tertiary institutions in Kano more than two decades ago, I understand firsthand that the administration of higher education is far from a routine bureaucratic responsibility. It is a highly specialized field that requires technical knowledge, administrative discipline, and consistent engagement with regulatory frameworks. Every academic programme offered within universities, polytechnics, and colleges operates within carefully defined standards, from institutional establishment and programme accreditation to staffing requirements, curriculum development, and continuous compliance with national academic benchmarks.
This reality underscores a fundamental point, dissolving the Ministry of Higher Education is not, in itself, the central issue. What matters far more is whether the new structure is capable of placing the right people in the right positions. Institutions rise or decline not merely because of how they are structured, but because of the quality of leadership and professionalism guiding them.
It is widely acknowledged within policy and academic circles that the former Ministry of Higher Education, which operated under the office of the Deputy Governor, experienced notable setbacks in recent time. These challenges were not merely structural but were often linked to weak institutional leadership, limited policy innovation, and insufficient administrative coordination. In such circumstances, reform becomes unavoidable. Yet genuine reform must go beyond merging ministries, it must strengthen institutional capacity and restore confidence in the governance of tertiary education.
Tertiary education represents the highest level of formal learning within the education system. It encompasses universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and specialized institutes responsible for producing skilled professionals, educators, researchers, and innovators. In today’s knowledge-driven world, these institutions are not only centers of learning but engines of economic productivity, technological progress, and social advancement.
Kano State possesses one of the most extensive tertiary education networks in northern Nigeria. The state hosts multiple universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and specialized institutions serving thousands of students across diverse academic disciplines. Managing such a vast and complex ecosystem requires careful coordination, strategic oversight, and sustained policy direction.
For this reason, I strongly advocate the establishment of a robust Directorate of Higher Education within the Ministry of Education under the leadership of an Executive Secretary or, more strategically, the creation of a Kano State Tertiary Education Board that would focus exclusively on the planning, coordination, and supervision of tertiary institutions in the state. A specialized body of this nature would provide the institutional focus required to manage the complexities of higher education while ensuring continuity in policy planning and sector development.
Equally important is the urgent need to revisit the composition of governing councils and boards of tertiary institutions across the state. Tertiary education is too critical to be subjected to excessive political considerations. Academic institutions thrive when they are guided by competence, experience, and intellectual independence. When leadership positions within these institutions become overly politicized, the long-term consequences are often detrimental to academic standards and institutional credibility.
Recent developments at Kano State College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies serve as a reminder of the importance of professional governance within tertiary institutions. Such situations highlight the need for caution, institutional discipline, and merit-based appointments in the administration of higher education.
Indeed, information emerging from various institutions suggests that despite the commendable efforts of the present administration to revitalize the education sector, some schools continue to grapple with internal administrative difficulties and governance challenges. These realities make it even more imperative that the ongoing restructuring be used as an avenue to correct these abnormalities and restore administrative stability across the tertiary education system.
This moment therefore presents more than a structural adjustment, it offers a strategic opportunity to rethink the broader governance architecture of tertiary education in Kano State.
As I have consistently emphasized in my advocacy for education reform, the Ministry of Education itself requires a serious housekeeping. The current operational framework does not adequately reflect the complexity of the sector it supervises. With the recent merger creating what may become the largest and most demanding ministry within the state government, a comprehensive administrative review has now become both urgent and necessary.
Beyond internal restructuring, attention must also be directed toward revitalizing the state’s scholarship system. Over the years, the Scholarship Board appears to have gradually lost much of its strategic clarity and developmental focus. Originally established to nurture academic excellence and expand human capital development, the institution now requires a comprehensive overhaul.
A renewed scholarship framework must prioritize transparency, merit, and accountability while ensuring that bursaries and educational support programmes are effectively aligned with the state’s development priorities. Equally important is the need for proper monitoring mechanisms to guarantee that public resources allocated for student support are utilized efficiently and responsibly.
Ultimately, the success of any education reform lies not in policy announcements but in the seriousness of implementation. Structural adjustments alone cannot transform the education sector. Real progress will depend on visionary leadership, administrative professionalism, and sustained commitment to institutional excellence.
Kano State possesses the demographic strength, intellectual heritage, and institutional foundation required to build one of the most effective education systems in Nigeria. What is required now is the determination to implement reforms with courage, competence, and long-term vision.
If carefully managed, the current restructuring initiated by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf may well mark the beginning of a renewed chapter in the governance of education in Kano State.
It is a timely action one that offers the state a rare opportunity to correct systemic weaknesses and lay a stronger foundation for the future of its young generation. The moment calls not only for structural reform but for decisive leadership capable of translating policy into lasting institutional transformation.
Tijjani Sarki
Executive Director
Responsive Citizens Initiative
responsivecitizensinitiative@gmail.com
