Directorate of Degree Programme

I welcome you to the Directorate of Degree Programme which was established recently for the purpose of running degree programmes in some science and technical courses but with bias in technological and teacher training. The objective of creating the directorate was to produce bachelor degree graduates who can work as skilled technologists and teachers as well. All the eight programmes approved by the NUC are affiliated to the FUT Minna. The Directorate of Degree programme will admit its first set of intake in the 2020/2021 academic session. All arrangements were adequately made for the take-off of the programmes. I wish this golden opportunity of having degree programmes in science and technology, the first of its kind in Katsina State will be utilize by prospective candidates within the state and beyond.

History of the Directorate

The idea of introducing degree programme in Technical Education courses emanated from the Department of Education in 2017 because of the incessant requests by the NCE Technical graduates; that immediately precipitated into a visit to FUT Minna during which discussions to go into affiliation agreement underwent. Following this visit, officials of the FUT Minna also visited the Polytechnic in May 2018 for the inspection of resources available for the successful running of the degree programmes. The inspection team while delivering their exit report expressed satisfaction with the physical structures, equipments, other facilities and staffing proposed for the degree programme. The resource inspection was followed by the signing of memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two institutions on the 30th of August, 2018 at the Senate Chambers of the FUT Minna. Based on the recommendations of the FUT Minna about the Polytechnic’s readiness to run degree programme, the National Universities Commission (NUC) was invited to come forward for its resource inspection, which it did on the 23rd of April, 2019. The visitation was for the assessment of eight (8) programmes namely; B. Tech. (Ed) Education/Biology, B. Tech. (Ed) Education/Chemistry, B. Tech. (Ed) Education/Mathematics, B. Tech. (Ed) Automobile Technology, B. Tech. (Ed) Building Technology, B. Tech. (Ed) Electrical/Electronic Technology, B. Tech. (Ed) Metalwork Technology and B. Tech. (Ed) Woodwork Technology. Approval was issued by the NUC for all the eight (8) programmes in July, 2018 through a letter addressed to FUT Minna. The programme was to commence as from the 2019/2020 session, but that was not possible because more than 98% of the candidates who applied for admission into the programmes have not sat for the UTME or have not filled the JAMB Direct Entry form. Since it is the responsibility of JAMB to give admission, the Polytechnic wrote a letter to JAMB requesting for a waiver that will allow the candidates if admitted to regularize the admission at a later time. JAMB did not approve the request; hence commencement of admission into these programmes will have to be delayed till 2020/2021 session. Dr. Yusuf Lawal Uli was appointed to head the Directorate of Degree Programme in the capacity of a Director, other officers of the Directorate will be appointed later.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

(e-Mail: [email protected])

Dr. Yusuf Lawal Uli [B.Sc. Chemistry (ABU), M.Sc. Analytical Chemistry (BUK), PGDE (UDUS), and PhD Renewable Energy (UDUS)] is the Director, Degree programme, Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic; he is a Chief Lecturer, an Analytical Chemist and a specialist in Renewable Energy Studies (Biomass Energy). Some of his work experiences in the Polytechnic were apart from teaching, research and publications over the last three decades; he served also as Assistant Examination Officer and later Examination Officer of former Department of Remedial and Extramural Studies; Examination Officer, Department of Basic and Applied Sciences; College Examination Coordinator for CST; HOD, Basic and Applied Sciences (two times); member Governing Council of HUK Polytechnic, as representative of the Congregation; member of the Management and Academic Boards of HUK Polytechnic; member, Senior Staff Appointment and Promotion Committee (SSAPC); member, Intermediate and Junior Staff Appointment and Promotion Committee (I&JSAPC); member, Examination Malpractice Committee (EMPC); member, Accreditation Committee; member, Polytechnic Juma’at Mosque Committee; member, Polytechnic Housing Committee. His other work experiences are; Chairman, Central Staff Development Committee (CSDC); Chairman, SIWES Committee; Chairman, TETFUND ICT Support Committee; Chairman, Staff School Management Board; Chairman, Comprehensive Secondary School Board; Chairman, CST Standing Committee and Chairman, CST Board of Studies. He has also served in various other committees set up in the Polytechnic. Dr Yusuf has many publications in local and international journals to his credit; he has also attended and/or presented papers at many conferences at local and international levels. His community service experiences include; Chairman, School Board of Dallatu Aminu Primary and Community Junior Secondary Schools, Filin Kanada, Sabuwar Unguwa, Katsina, Chairman, Committee of Anwarul Islam Community Nursery/Primary School Sabuwar Unguwa Katsina, PTA Care-taker Chairman, Rafin Dadi Community Junior Secondary School, Rafin Dadi, Katsina, Secretary, Committee of Ihya’ul Islam Nursery/Primary/Islamiyya Schools, Shararrar Pipe, Kofar Kaura, Katsina and Treasurer, Kwamitin Cigaban Sabuwar Unguwa, Katsina. His professional experiences include; Examiner and Team Leader for WAEC marking exercise and member, NBTE accreditation team. Dr. Yusuf Uli is a registered member of the Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN), Science Teachers’ Association of Nigeria (STAN) and Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).