FEMI ADI/KADUNA

Governor Masari: 600,000 pupils out of school

Katsina State Governor  Aminu Bello Masari has revealed that 600,000  of the one million pupils  listed for enrolment in the 2013/ 2014 academy  year in the state by the past administration are out of school .

He revealed that the four hundred thousand that managed to be enrolled are studying  under a condition that is  not conducive for learning.

There are about 10.5million children out of school in Nigeria, according to a recent estimate by UNICEF.

Masari who disclosed  the estimated out-of-school children  in Kaduna on Saturday while delivering a speech at a dinner organized by the  Bakatsine Magazine, said education has always remained the a pride of the people of Katsina State, considering the fact that many of  past and present leaders of the country  schooled in the state .

While describing as  unfortunate, the neglect of the state education system , he pointed out that if the government  did not give children the right education now, they will seek alternative training  for themselves. He said this was the genesis of the present security challenges bedevilling the nation today.

The Katsina state governor who also noted that agriculture in the past was the bedrock of the state economy with 70 per cent of the people depending on it,he condemned the past policies that made it difficult for
farmers to get fertilizers ,but same are given to Shylock dealers who exploited the farmers.

Meanwhile, he gave the  assurance that under his government, all these will change.

According to Masari , his APC led government is committed to fulfilling all campaign promises to the people of the state .

In doing so, he said  all monies that come to the state and how they are spent would be made
public for the sake of transparency and accountability.

He however warned all public office holders that the era of stealing and looting of government treasury is over.

In his brief remark , Chairman of the occasion, Engineer Kabir Abdullahi said the wind of
change blowing across the nation is visible in Katsina state and warned  Masari to shun sycophants and praise singers.

Also in his remark the National Vice President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists ,North West Zone, Comrade Yusuf Idris  commended the Katsina  state Governor for working in line with his Campaign promises especially  the setting up of various Committees to  study the state of the state.

” Journalists will work with the Government of Katsina State,   praise and correct it when necessary, ” he said.