Southern Kaduna zone is at the brink of a new era as plans are underway to establish a private polytechnic in the area. The polytechnic is to be situated in Gwantu, Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna state.

The founder, an Abuja-based entrepreneur who disclosed this to some stakeholders Wednesday said, the polytechnic is to provide access to higher education and bring development to the Senatorial zone.

The Polytechnic is to be located on a vast space of land which has already been acquired for the said institution. At the moment, clearing work have commenced at the site in preparation for construction work.

According to plans, the polytechnic is to commence academic activities in 2017. With this, students from the geo-political zone, the entire state and other states of the federation shall have more access to pursue their education at a tertiary level.

This development is in an attempt to bridge the education institutional  gap that Southern Kaduna now has as there are not much institutions of higher learning in the zone. Presently, the only available higher institutions in the zone are the Kafanchan Campus of the State University (KASU), College of Education, Gidan Waya, College of Nursing and Midwifery in Kafanchan, College of Agriculture – Samaru Campus & the Federal School of Statistics, Manchok.

It will be recalled that the last administration in the state under the leadership of Dr. Muhktar Ramalan Yero had earlier proposed a state University of Science & Technology to be located at Kafanchan. However, this lofty dream was aborted with the coming of the Mallam Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai administration on the grounds that the project was not gazetted and the lack of funds, among others.

Looking at the disadvantaged position that the zone now faces, the youths and other relevant stakeholders are looking with great optimism that the Federal & state governments would establish more higher institutions in the area to provide higher educational access to the people.

By Michael I. Maikarfi,

Member – Project Committee