Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State has directed the Office of the Secretary to the State Government and the Office of the Head of Service to ensure the immediate and seamless realignment of the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Education following approval of their merger.
Sunusi Dawakin Tofa, spokesperson to the governor, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday, explaining that the restructuring forms part of ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the education sector and improving policy coordination across all levels of education.
The new structure will operate under the Ministry of Education, with the establishment of a specialised Directorate of Higher Education within the ministry to oversee tertiary education activities in the state.
The directorate will be headed by a Permanent Secretary and supported by relevant personnel to ensure effective management of higher education institutions, according to the statement.
All agencies previously under the defunct Ministry of Higher Education, including the Scholarship Board, will return to the Ministry of Education, with state owned universities and other higher education institutions supervised by the new Directorate under the merged ministry.
"Under this restructuring, all agencies under the defunct Higher Education Ministry, such as the Scholarship Board, will return to the Ministry of Education, while state owned universities and other higher education institutions will be supervised by the new Directorate under the merged ministry," the statement read.
Governor Yusuf stated that the reform is designed to reduce the cost of governance while enhancing efficiency, accountability, and the overall quality of education administration in Kano State.
The governor explained that the move was intended to eliminate duplication of responsibilities and reduce the cost of governance in the state, describing it as a decisive step to strengthen coordination and accelerate reforms in Kano State's education sector.
He reiterated his administration's commitment to implementing reforms that would revitalise the education sector and secure a better future for the younger generation.
The Ministry of Higher Education was formerly under the portfolio of the deputy governor of Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, before the restructuring announced by Governor Yusuf.
The government explained that the move is part of the state government's ongoing education sector reform, aimed at repositioning the sector, eliminating duplication of responsibilities, improving policy coordination across all levels of education, and reducing the cost of governance.
