Agusan Trade School, the old name of Northern Mindanao College of Arts, Science and Technology (NMCAST) was established in Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte under Republic Act No. 948 which was approved on June 23, 1953. The school officially opened on July 1, 1954. It offered four trade courses for boys. The school started with 15 teachers and employees and 190 students who were all boys. For a year, classes were held at the Cabadbaran Central School Grandstand. The tools used by students were either borrowed from the elementary shop classes or personally bought by the shop teachers. Alejandro P. Dabuet was the first school principal who ran the school until 1957.

      With the passing of years, the original school buildings which were made of bamboo slats, coconut trunks and nipa roofing were gradually replaced with semi-permanent buildings.

      Ten years after its establishment, the school was converted into Northern Mindanao School of Arts and Trades (NMSAT) under Republic Act No. 3630. The school was granted permission to open trade-mechanical education courses. The school principal then was Teodolfo Despojo. The principal item was reclassified to Vocational School Administration from 1973 - 1992.

      Republic Act No. 7517 which was approved on May 21, 1992 converted the school into Northern Mindanao College of Arts, Science and Technology (NMCAST). With the conversion of the school into a college, two degree courses were initially opened in 1995 in addition to the existing two-year courses. The secondary department was turned into a laboratory school, in accordance with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Order No. 4 and 8 thus, there was a gradual decrease in enrollment in the high school until it would reach the 500 mark.

      Pursuant to the special provision No. 2 of RA 8760 on the integration of CHED - Supervised Institutions (CSIs) for the purpose of promoting quality education, rationalization of tertiary education, maximization of resources, in compliance with the provisions of the Medium term Philippine Development Plan, and in consonance with the CHED EnBanc Resolution No. 131-2000, 17 July 2000, implementing guidelines was issued to ensure the efficient and effective integration of CHED - Supervised Institutions (CSIs) to State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). The Northern Mindanao College of Arts, Science and Technology (NMCAST) in Cabadbaran was then integrated to the Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology (NORMISIST) Cabadbaran Campus effective October, 2000.

    Under the Republic Act 9854 integrates the Northern Mindanao State Institute of Science and Technology (NORMISIST) in Ampayon and the Northern Mindanao College of Science and Technology (NMCAST) City of Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte into CARAGA State University and known as the CARAGA STATE UNIVERSITY Cabadbaran Campus. The only public State University established in the City of Cabadbaran.

Credits: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia.