*Says, “We met 4.7 million pupils sitting on bare floor”
*Puts current figure of out-of-school children at 989,234
By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
Determined to revamp the dilapidated state of primary and secondary education in Kano, the state Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf has resolved to employ additional 10, 000 teachers and build 300 laboratories across the state.
Governor Yusuf who stated this while declaring a State-of-Emergency on education in the state on Saturday, said his ambition is to ensure that public schools are better than private schools in the state, even with the free-education policy of his administration.
He spoke at the Open Arena, Kano Government House, in a well-attended ceremony with dignitaries from across the globe, including his mentor, former Governor of Kano state and National Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.
According to him, before taking over as Kano state Governor, about a year ago, the problems in the education sector were multi-faceted.
He added that: “We faced a severe shortage of qualified teachers, inadequate teacher training programs, and a lack of basic amenities such as clean water and sanitation in many of our schools.
“These issues, coupled with the socio- economic challenges that many of our students face, create an environment where education is not just difficult, but nearly impossible.”
Governor revealed that his administration has resolved to build an additional 300 state- of-the-art laboratories in 100 schools across the state.
He said the provision of these facilities will provide the students with hands-on experience in scientific inquiry, fostering a culture of experimentation and discovery that is essential for their future success.
Governor Yusuf also announced the construction of 1000 classrooms across the State within the next academic session.
“This measure will, no doubt, mitigate classroom congestion that has become a common feature of most of our schools.
“We have also directed that all contractors handling inherited abandoned projects in our tertiary institutions should go back to site immediately,” adding that additional 10,000 teachers have been hired with an opportunity to enjoy periodic training and retraining so as to achieve the vision of making every teacher, a caring educator.
In the state-owned tertiary instructions, Governor Yusuf promised to employ, at least, 1,000 academic and non-academic staff to boost learning and research.
“This declaration is not just symbolic; it signifies a commitment to overhaul our education system from the ground up. We will invest in infrastructure, ensuring that every school has adequate classrooms conducive to teaching and learning.
“We will also prioritize teacher training and welfare, recognizing their pivotal role in shaping the minds of tomorrow,” he added.
*Governor Yusuf Says, “We met 4.7 million pupils sitting on bare floor”
Kano state Governor, Engr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, on Saturday, revealed that his administration met no fewer than 4.7 million pupils sitting on bare floor in primary schools across the state upon assumption of office in May 29, 2023.
Governor Yusuf made the revelation during the occasion of the Declaration of State of Emergency on Education in Kano state held on at the Open Arena, Kano Government House.
He said the state government was declaring the State-of-Emergency on education with the full support of the National Union of Teachers (NUT).
Governor Yusuf stated that the lack of instructional materials further compounded the problem, “leaving our teachers and students to struggle with outdated and insufficient resources.
“Above 4.7 million pupils are sitting on bare floors to take lessons while bout 400 schools have only one teacher for all classes subjects and all pupils.
“Rather than building more classrooms and providing basic furniture in the schools, as well as hiring more
teachers, the administration we took over from chose to butcher the land belonging to those schools, in some places demolishing classrooms to create space for shops.
“Those schools that they could not sell, they closed them down and got them vandalized. The encroachment of public school lands and the conversion of these vital institutions into private business premises is an affront to our communal values and a direct assault on our commitment to public education.
“This reckless appropriation of educational spaces for commercial use is unacceptable and must stopped immediately.”
According to him:. “Today, I stand before you with a profound sense of duty, compelled by the pressing need to
address the precarious state of our education sector.
“As your elected Governor, entrusted
with the solemn responsibility of steering our state towards prosperity and progress, I cannot ignore the glaring reality that confronts us in the
realm of education.
“And with education being our number one priority, and believing that education is not only a public good, but is also
the greatest asset that any people can bequeat to its upcoming generation because no people can grow beyond the quality and standard of
their education system, we must, therefore take radical but practical measures to reposition education provisioning in our State.”
He also bemoaned the proliferation of out-of-school children in the state, but promised that his administration has taken adequate steps to confront the menace.
“It is with a heavy heart that I bring forth this discourse, as the challenges we face in the education sector are as formidable as they are alarming, and the urgency with which we must act is undeniable.
“Our educational landscape, once a beacon of hope and opportunity for our
youths, and an example for other states to copy, now stands shrouded in the shadows of unacceptable neglect and decay.
Our beloved State is witnessing an alarming proliferation of out-of-school children, with the current figure standing at 989,234 children,” he added.
Governor Yusuf spoke in the presence of the National Leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso; and the chairman of the occasion, former Governor of Cross River state, Donald Duke, among other dignitaries.