Staff, students of Makarfi Health College express outrage over KASU action

MAKARFI (Sundiata Scholar) Kaduna State The Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences and Technology, Makarfi, has suffered economic, structural and financial growth after its merger with the Kaduna State University (KASU), staff and students of the college lamented.

A senior staff of the college, who crave for anonymity, reports on Sunday in Makarfi that besides the merger of the two schools nothing has changed.

He alleged that Kaduna State University has failed to take-up the responsibility of the proper administration of the college which has negatively affected academic activities at the college.

According to him, Gov. Uba Sani has approved the disbursement of ₦451,149,336 for the accreditation of key institutions across the state towards elevating the quality of education.

“Benefiting institutions include; Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, College of Nursing and Midwifery, College of Education Gidan Waya, Kaduna State University, and Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital.

“Of the N451,149,336, Kaduna State university received N291, 481,794.

“However, despite this investment by the governor, accreditation of National Diploma Programmes in Health Information Management, Dental Technology and two other courses at the college elapsed and they were yet to be renewed,’’ he said.

He also lamented that students’ indexing by the board of such courses was also yet to be perfected.

He also alleged that the fund for scholarship grants from the Kaduna State Scholarship Board for the students of the college was paid to KASU.

He, however, said that the university has not redeemed the funds to the college.

He, therefore, appealed to stakeholders in the sector to intervene towards preventing the slow death of the college.

Malam Ghali Ahmed Wali (not real name) a student of Community Health Extension Worker, said he is one of the beneficiaries of the state scholarship scheme but the money has not been paid to the college.

He noted that most of his colleagues who got the scholarship grants were at Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) for their practical (clinical) and they would commence registration very soon.

He, therefore, appealed to the government to expedite action on the timely release of the fund in view of the prevailing harsh economic realities.

When contacted, Mr Adamu Bargo, Director Public Affairs, KASU did not deny the allegations; he, however, said he had no details on the situation.

Similarly, reacting to the allegations, Prof. Yahaya Sale, Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Scholarship Board, said there was no problem on the issue.

He explained that the Board was at Makarfi health college and identified students who applied as well as students who had challenges in applying the scholarship and later came-up with a comprehensive data of students from the college.

He added that the board had initially disbursed about N5 million to some sets of students of the college who met its requirements.

The executive secretary assured that the funds for the remaining students would be disbursed as soon as the board receive its 2024 budgetary releases.

“Who soever is captured under the scheme would not miss his examination due to non-payment from the board,” the executive secretary assured. (NAN)