The Niger State University of Education, Minna, the first of its kind in the northern part of Nigeria and the second of such institution in the country, the first being Tai Solarin University of Education, will start academic activities and admissions come September this year.
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The institution which was transmuted from Niger State College of Education was inaugurated with Professor Umar Abdulrasheed as the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Education.
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Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State said that the Chairman, Governing Board of the College of Education, Prof. Mohammed Daniyan, will also be the Chancellor of the proposed university.
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During the inauguration, Governor Aliyu commissioned the N500 million Introductory Technology Centre (ITC), the Centre for Educational Technology (CET), 1, 000 sitting capacity lecture theatre and as well as the flagging-off of the construction and equipment of a Micro Finance Bank and a campus FM Radio station in the school which will be executed from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) and as well, Internally Generated Fund (IGR).
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The governor added that the new university will be merged with the the state owned Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, as they would be directed to stop admitting students to Education related courses.
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Niger State Government has acquired additional 200 hectares of land to be used by the new university in the nearest future while plans are already underway for the construction of a workers' village for the benefit of both the staff of the IBBU Lapai and the University of Education, Minna.