No fewer than 22 students of Al-Qalam University in Katsina State have graduated with first class degrees from the institution.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Nasiru Musa-Yauri, disclosed this during the 16th convocation of the university in Katsina on Saturday, December 7, 2024.

Musa-Yauri disclosed that 1,433 students graduated from the university.

According to him, 218 graduated with second class upper division, 641 with second class lower, 499 with third class, while 53 bagged pass degree in their respective disciplines.

He added that 23 graduates were also conferred with Doctor of Philosophy degrees, 42 academic master’s, 30 professional master’s, and one postgraduate diploma.

“The 20-year journey of the university is a story of success, as it started with only four academic programmes,” the VC stated.

Musa-Yauri revealed that the institution offers about 66 postgraduate and 35 undergraduate programmes in five colleges.

He added: “Through the years, the university has benefited from the generosity of institutions and well-spirited personalities who have donated various types of projects.

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“They include Katsina State Government, Malam Aminu Dantata, CBN, the Kano State Government, Alhaji Bilya Sanda, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the AbdulSamad Rabiu (ASR) Africa Initiative, among others.

“We remain grateful and hugely indebted to these institutions and personalities who have contributed to the infrastructural growth of our university.”

The vice-chancellor said the Katsina State Government has approved the construction of the university’s perimeter fence.

He said the gesture marked the end of their existence within a porous environment and helped to secure the lives and property of the staffers and students.

Musa-Yauri said: “We are indeed grateful to Gov. Dikko Radda for this landmark intervention, empathy, and his response to our appeal for this intervention.

“This is a significant demonstration of his commitment to overcoming the security challenges in Katsina State.

“On its own, the university management, with the approval of its Board of Trustees and Governing Council, is constructing a 300-bed capacity male hostel, which is nearing completion.

“Despite these efforts, Al-Qalam is desirous of donations of infrastructural projects in view of its expansion in academic programmes as well as growth in the number of staff and students.”

The late President Umaru Yar’adua, and the late Walin Daura, Sani Buhari, were conferred with a posthumous Doctorate Degree of Letters.

Business mogul Dahiru Mangal was conferred with a Doctor of Business Administration, while Bilya Sanda received a Doctor of Islamic Studies.

The Star