Kaduna to extend KASU salary concessions to other tertiary institutions

The Kaduna State Government will extend the salary-related concessions recently granted to academic staff of Kaduna State University to other state-owned tertiary institutions, the Commissioner for Education, Prof Sani Sambo, has said.

Sambo, who represented Governor Uba Sani at the 2025 Barewa Old Boys Association Annual General Meeting in Zaria, said negotiations with unions in the affected institutions would commence soon to resolve their concerns and improve conditions of service.

He disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Zaria, explaining that the governor had constituted a nine-member tertiary institutions negotiation committee to engage the unions.

The commissioner said the committee started with KASU because of the industrial action involving the university’s academic staff.

He added that discussions with other institutions would follow.

“Governor Uba Sani is very mindful of that. We will also start discussing with their own unions so that what has been given to the academic staff of KASU will be extended to those other unions as well,” Sambo said.

He said implementation of the KASU agreement was expected to commence with the October salary.

However, negotiations with the College of Education, polytechnic and other tertiary institutions would determine the specific arrangements applicable to them.

“The state government attached great importance to the College of Education because it produces teachers, while the polytechnic and other institutions play important roles in developing the technical and vocational skills required to drive economic growth,” he said.

Sambo said education remained a major priority of the Sani administration, particularly basic and secondary education.

According to him, the state government allocated about 25 per cent of its budget to education in each of the last three budget cycles.

He said the government was also renovating schools and improving infrastructure to strengthen the education sector.

On out-of-school children, the commissioner said the number had dropped significantly since the administration assumed office.

He said the number was previously estimated at more than 500,000, but about 300,000 children had since been integrated into the formal school system.

Sambo said the government was working with development partners to further tackle the challenge, including efforts to integrate Almajiri education into the formal school system.

He said Almajiri schools were being registered to enable their pupils eventually sit recognised examinations at the end of primary and secondary education.

The commissioner also highlighted the government’s investment in vocational and technical education.

He said the state had established an Institute of Vocational Skills Training, with its headquarters in Kaduna and branches in Soba and another location.

According to him, about 4,050 graduates have so far acquired various vocational skills through the programme.

Sambo said the government adopted the approach because countries such as China, India and South Korea had demonstrated the importance of skills development in achieving rapid economic growth.

He urged groups and organisations supporting education to continue partnering with the state government in implementing its policies and programmes.

“Let us continue as groups like Boba to support the policies of Governor Uba Sani,” he said.