Written by: Ibrahim Jatau Kunya _ LOCATION Dawakin Tofa Science College is one of the prominent, Science Secondary Schools in Kano State, Nigeria. The school is located at Dawakin Tofa Local Government 12.118960 N 8.3397360 E, about 32 km from Kano metropolis. ESTABLISHMENT OF SCIENCE SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN KANO The establishment of science secondary schools in Kano state was born out of the conspicuous need of science and technical manpower in the 1970s. After the creation of Kano State in 1968, the state was faced with lack of indigenous manpower in science and technology to meet up with its anticipated expanded social development. To overcome this challenges, the need to establish Kano State own special science secondary schools was suggested, with the sole aim of training science students and producing professionals in science and technology on a long term basis to compliment the efforts of meeting up with the manpower challenges of the state. This suggestion was proposed by an eighteen member Manpower Development Committee headed by Dr Ibrahim Ayagi in 1975. Subsequently, in April 1977, the Military Governor of Kano State Colonel Sani Bello approved and announced the establishment of science secondary schools in Kano State. DAWAKIN TOFA SCIENCE COLLEGE Dawakin Tofa Science College was initially a conventional Secondary School as provided by the 5-3-3-4 system of education in Nigeria originally established in 1972. The secondary school was later converted to a Science Secondary School in 1977, and the first set of students resumed in September 1977. Dawakin Tofa Science College started with 120 best students drawn from across all Junior Secondary Schools in Kano State. From 1977 to 1980, the admission was through entrance aptitude test set-up by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to provide a thorough process that lead to the selection of the very best. Thereafter, Kano State Science Secondary School Management Board (KSSSSMB) was established and saddled with the responsibility of conducting aptitude test and selecting best among students. The following subjects were approved for teaching in Dawakin Tofa Science Secondary school by KSSSMB under the administration of Alhaji Ado Gwaram (1977 to 1978) [Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English, Geography, Hausa, Islamic studies, and Technical Drawing or Agricultural Sciences]. The board also approved the construction of two laboratories each for Biology, Chemistry, Physics and additional one each for Technical Drawing, Agricultural Sciences and Geography. In the year 1998, the name of the school was adjusted from Dawakin Tofa Science Secondary School to its current name of Dawakin Tofa Science College. PRINCIPALS AND THEIR TENURE The first principal of Dawakin Tofa Science Secondary School was Alhaji Dauda Suleiman (September to December 1977) while the current principal is Malam Shehu Umar, a veteran in teaching Chemistry, Former Head of Chemistry department, a House master and head of many school committees including JETS and the disciplinary committee. Due to inadequacy in the number of indigenous science teachers in Kano State then, the KSSSSMB considered engaging expatriates from the United States to head the newly established science schools. Three of them were principals at Dawakin Tofa Science Secondary School. Table 1, Shows the list of principals from September 1977 to September 2015. (38 years from inception). LIST OF PRINCIPALS OF DAWAKIN TOFA SCIENCE COLLEGE FROM 1977 TO 2015 TEACHERS Initially, most of the teachers were expatriates mostly from United States, United Kingdom, Ghana, and India. Some of the expatriates were posted to the school under the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), the VSO was a program meant to help developing countries in providing adequate training for science oriented students. Other teachers were from British Council free teaching program posted to teach Mathematics and English. Later, indigenous teachers from Kano state and other parts of the country with first degree in sciences and skills in teaching methodology were recruited to gradually replace most of the expatriates. In 1999, Kano State Government terminated the appointments of all non-Kano indigene teachers from the services of science schools in the state. This left the school with only indigenous teachers up till date. Some prominent teachers from other part of the country included: Mr. E.O Ibe, Mr Kamaru O.O, Malam Dan Fulani, Malam M.T Ali, Malam Abdulrahman Lasisi and a lots of them. Among the teachers from British Council free teaching program were Mrs Ema, Mrs Helen and Mr Paul Martins. NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENROLLED Dawakin Tofa Science Secondary School started with 120 students in September 1977 (1 teacher: 20 students ratio), and as at 2014/2015 academic year, the school has enrolled a total of 9,702 students. PROMINENT STUDENTS OF DAWAKIN TOFA SCIENCE COLLEGE The school has graduated many qualified and prominent medical and health practitioners, engineers, scientists, politicians and celebrities at both national and international level. Some prominent among them included:
EXAMINATIONS AND SUCCESS RATE OF STUDENTS Since 1980, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) has been setting-up the final examination for the students after completion of class 3 (SS 3). The title of the exam was later changed to West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 1999. In April 1999, the Federal Government of Nigeria introduced another body of examination called National Examination Council (NECO), and the 2000 set were the first students that sat for the exam. From 2001 up to date, the students have the opportunity to sit for both WAEC and NECO. The success rate was determined as students that passed WAEC exam with five credits and above. The success rate fluctuates in the span of 1980 to 1998, with the worst WAEC result recorded in 1993 (7.14%) and highest in 1988 (Table 2). In 1984, Dawakin Tofa Science Secondary School produced the most outstanding WAEC record when Sarki Abba scored the highest results in Nigeria. Similarly, the first highest success rate in Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) was recorded in the year 2000, when over 75% of the students passed NECO exam with five credits and above. Naziru Hamisu now a paediatrician at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria scored the highest result with distinctions in all the nine subjects. Also, in the year 2013 NECO result, another student from Dawaki Tofa Science College became overall best student in Kano State. Table 2 illustrates the year, the number of students that sat for the exam and the success rate. TABLE 2. SUCCESS RATE IN WAEC RESULT FROM 1980 TO 1998 HOSTELS Initially, Dawakin Tofa Science College has six hostels; two hostels occupied a storey building Dunawa House/Tofa House, Galadima House/Madaki House and Makama House/Waziri House. Each story building was attached with a students’ recreation centre where students play games at their leisure time. Later, with the increased number of students in the school, an additional three blocks were converted in to hostels and named Dawaki A, B and C. When Dunawa/Tofa block was undergoing renovation in the year 2000, a block near computer centre was converted into a make shift hostel called “Madagascar” to accommodate the students temporarily. KITCHEN All students converge at the kitchen for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of the meals that majority of the students will not forget included; gabza, gudun qurna, moi-moi, koko and teba. On Fridays, usually, dinner was normally served with meat (ani). Among the prominent staff in the kitchen were Malam Isyaku and uwar tuwo. VILLAGES AROUND DAWAKIN TOFA SCIENCE COLLEGE Dawakin Tofa Science Secondary School is surrounded by two villages; Katoge and Kashirmo villages. The two villages are not far from the school. The students and the community relate well with each other with immense benefits. The students normally buy things for their up keep such as waina, qosai, ground nuts, aya and so on while the villagers use the school as the source of having some income. Malam Jume mai Kanti, Isyaku mai gyada were among those popular with the students. Other memorable places neighbouring the school included; Dunawa bush and Shagari quarters WRITTEN BY PHARM IBRAHIM JATAU KUNYA (datsosa2000 e-project 2015) Any suggestions/observations ([email protected]) REFERENCES: Prof Abdallah Uba Adamu Dawakin Tofa Science College ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Shafiu Lawan Tofa Zaharaddeen Hamisu Aliyu M Shehu Pharm Ibrahim Lawan Sani Ahmed Minjibir Management of Dawakin Tofa Science College DATSOSA2000 EXCOS All DATSOSA2000members ..........datsosa2000 e-project 2015!
13 Comments
Abdullahi B. Kunya
10/26/2015 07:16:42 pm
Double thumb up to class 2000 for this tremendous effort, especially to the author, Pharm. Ibrahim Jatau.
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Mustapha Tijjani Lawan
7/1/2017 06:24:34 pm
may Allah help us because my ambition is to be one of the student at this college
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Musa Ahmed kallamu
8/1/2019 07:53:38 pm
I pray that Allah bless the author of this article, I attended the school from 1983---1985, I am currently working at Kaduna Refinery since 1991---date. I really appreciate the article, as it remembered me the environment I spent some years, especially, principals, hostels and mallam jume.
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Mustapha Musa Muhammad
6/11/2020 09:10:20 pm
Proud To be A member
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Anas Indabawa
7/12/2020 10:50:55 am
May God bless the author of this article. Iam proudly Alumni of thesame school. Attended at the year (2009-2012). I will love to see same article or a page created at LinkedIn profile.
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Dr Salisu Muhamnad Arafat
8/27/2020 11:18:48 pm
This is a good paradigm of what a free and fare educational opportunity can do to a Nation.I attended Dawakin Tofa Science College (1988 to 1990,Library Prefect), without knowing anybody,I got scholarship to study medicine abroad without knowing anybody , and currently i am treating my people proudly not for the sake of anything from somebody.This is only possible if social justice and transparency are established in any community.Alhamdulillah.I thank all our Principals and Teachers for making this possible.I must appreciate the founding fathers, Late Professor Ibrahim Ayagi (Rip),who happened to be my good patient,members of his abled commitee,Management board,whom we respect immensely ,and finally late Governor Sani Bello ,who made it all possible in 1977.May you all rest in perfect paradise of Firdaus.History will always be kind to your good names,which should be written with GOLD.
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Abdullahi Musa Hussaini (pasy)
10/7/2020 03:17:14 am
Proudly to be a member may Allah continue helping us in anything we do
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5/22/2021 03:36:53 pm
This history is attract me so much may Allah help our parents that makes me one of the students of this great college
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Misbahu hamisu sa,id
6/9/2021 01:07:43 pm
Alhamdulillahi my Allah continue helping us every where we find our selves.proudly to be a member
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Abubakar Yusuf Ado
11/13/2021 04:55:44 pm
May the glory of Dawakin Tofa Science College keep on blowing by God grace.
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4/29/2023 04:23:47 am
I am proudly member of datsosa 2012. I really appreciated and commended the way we were being taught at the school and the way we wrote our exams. I urge Nigerian government at all level will maintain these good attitudes in our various schools to add value to our education system.
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Mustapha abdulhadi Adam rano
7/14/2023 02:48:48 pm
Every begining most have and end
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