More than two years after its official conversion to a university, the Maitama Yusuf Sule Federal University of Education, Kano, has yet to commence full degree programmes, continuing instead with its traditional National Certificate of Education (NCE) admissions, raising concerns among students, staff, and education stakeholders.
The institution, formerly known as the Federal College of Education, Kano, was upgraded alongside three other federal colleges—Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Owerri; Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo; and the Federal College of Education, Zaria—in 2023. The upgrade, approved by the Federal Executive Council under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was meant to enhance access to university education and strengthen teacher training in Nigeria.
Despite the change in name and the elevation of the college’s provost to an acting vice-chancellor, there are mounting criticisms that the transition process has stalled. Stakeholders blame the university’s governing council and management for their failure to implement key reforms necessary for the institution’s new status.
Investigations reveal that beyond cosmetic changes, such as the signage and title modifications, little has been done to reflect the university’s elevated mandate. The most recent admission notice for the 2025/2026 academic session still advertises only NCE programmes, a development that has fueled skepticism about the seriousness of the transition.
One of the major concerns raised is the institution’s continued absence from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) portal, a requirement for admitting students into degree programmes. Critics allege this omission is a deliberate attempt to slow down the full transformation into a degree-awarding university.
A 200-level NCE student, Habeeb Ahmad, expressed confusion over the status of the school. “The university management has not communicated any clear plan on how or when the degree programmes will start. Everything still looks like a college of education,” he said.
Another student, Ghazali Abubakar, studying English Education, stated, “As far as I’m concerned, this is still a college. The last set of students, including myself, were admitted for NCE programmes even after the conversion.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COASU), Dr. Ado Muhammad, absolved the university management of blame. According to him, the transition is a process that cannot be completed overnight. He cited delays in obtaining necessary approvals and the absence of enabling legislation as major hurdles.
“Don’t forget that the National Universities Commission (NUC) has conducted a resource verification visit,” Muhammad explained. “This is a vital step in the process. Besides, we are still waiting for the enactment of an enabling Act to legally function as a full university.”
However, not everyone shares that sentiment. A senior academic, Dr. AbdulKareem Tijani, criticised both the council and management for what he described as “institutional complacency.” He accused the leadership of failing to upgrade staff ranks, enrol on the JAMB platform, and initiate the formation of university statutory bodies such as Senate and Congregation.
Tijani also expressed concern over the continued stay of the acting vice-chancellor, whose six-month tenure, he said, expired in February 2025. “He has remained in office with no formal communication extending his appointment,” he said.
He added that while other upgraded institutions are making measurable progress toward their new mandates, Maitama Yusuf Sule Federal University of Education has remained locked in the administrative structure of a college, attending meetings and aligning with education college unions, rather than embracing its university status.
The university council itself has reportedly been operating without full representation, lacking members from alumni, academic boards, and the host community. This partial constitution, experts warn, could further stall critical decisions and weaken transparency in governance.
Efforts by The Guardian to get official comments from university leadership were unsuccessful. Although the acting vice-chancellor was on campus during the paper’s visit, he declined to speak, while both the deputy provost and registrar said they were occupied with other duties.
As confusion deepens over the institution’s future, students and stakeholders are calling on the Federal Government and the National Universities Commission to intervene urgently. They insist that without concrete steps, the university’s mandate to train 21st-century educators will remain unfulfilled.
