The Management of Northwest University, Kano (also known as Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano) has formally announced a strategic modification to the academic calendar for the ongoing Second Semester of the 2024/2025 academic session. This decision, conveyed through a high-level administrative circular referenced REG/DEAR/004/VOL1/085, confirms the postponement of the mid-semester break. This adjustment, sanctioned by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Amina Salihi Bayero, reflects the university’s commitment to optimizing instructional time and ensuring that the examination window is approached with the necessary academic momentum.

The Revised Academic Timeline

The new schedule provides a clear roadmap for the remainder of the session, transitioning students from intensive lectures into a week of rest and revision, immediately followed by the formal assessment period. All staff and students are expected to align their activities with the following approved dates:

• Mid-Semester Break: Monday, 16th February to Sunday, 21st February, 2026 (One week).

• Second Semester Examinations: Monday, 23rd February to Saturday, 14th March, 2026 (Three weeks).

The university management emphasizes that this one-week break is designed to serve as a critical revision period. Students are encouraged to utilize this time to consolidate their learning and resolve any outstanding academic inquiries before the commencement of the three-week examination block.

Administrative Coordination and Compliance

The circular, endorsed by the Head of the Directorate of Examinations, Admissions, and Records (DEAR), Jafaru Sule Muhammad, was directed to several key administrative heads to ensure a synchronized implementation across the university’s multiple campuses. The primary recipients of the directive include:

1. Faculty and Academic Leadership: Deans of the various faculties—including the Faculties of Science, Humanities, Education, Basic Medical Sciences, and Social and Management Sciences—have been tasked with ensuring that all lecture modules are concluded before the break begins.

2. Student Welfare and Support: The Dean of Students’ Affairs and the Head of the Public Relations Unit are responsible for the widest possible dissemination of this news to prevent confusion among the student body, particularly those residing in university hostels.

3. Technical Infrastructure: The Director of ICT has been instructed to update the university portal to reflect these changes, ensuring that examination timetables and hall allocations are accurately synchronized with the new dates.

Institutional Context: The “PRECISE WIND” Agenda

This calendar adjustment aligns with the university’s broader strategic goals under the current leadership. Professor Amina Salihi Bayero, who assumed office as the substantive Vice-Chancellor in December 2025, has introduced a 14-point strategic blueprint known as the “PRECISE WIND” Agenda. A core pillar of this agenda is Academic and Research Excellence, which necessitates a rigid adherence to a well-structured academic calendar that minimizes disruptions and maximizes student performance.

By shifting the break to February, the university avoids the “fragmented learning” that can occur when holidays are poorly timed. This structured approach ensures that students remain in a scholarly mindset right up to the start of the Second Semester examinations on February 23.

Final Advisory for Students and Staff

The university management has called for full compliance with this revised calendar. Staff members are reminded to finalize the entry of continuous assessment (CA) scores into the portal before the break, while students are cautioned against extending their leave beyond Sunday, February 21. Any student who fails to report for examinations on Monday, February 23, will be treated in accordance with the university’s regulations on examination absenteeism.

Northwest University, Kano remains dedicated to fostering an environment of academic discipline and excellence. All stakeholders are urged to treat this official circular as the definitive guide for the conclusion of the 2024/2025 academic session.