Gov. Abdullahi Sule.

NKRUMAH BANKONG-OBI/Lafia

The Nasarawa State government has described as false, a news report that pupils in its public schools learn in classrooms that are not conducive enough. It described the report as misleading and a misrepresentation of facts, sponsored to dent the image of the government. The government’s reaction is contained in a press release signed by Peter Ahemba, Senior Special Assistant, SSA, to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs. He said the story was an attempt to among other things, “Undermine the transformation taking place in the education in the education sub-sector of the state, particularly in the area of Basic Education, under Engr Sule-led government.

Although the release did not name the medium where the story emanated from or the date, it admitted, however, that some schools may have infrastructure deficits as is the case in most developing nations. Ahemba noted that the State government has made considerable investments to provide a proper environment that can enhance teaching and learning. “While it is true that some schools in the state may have infrastructure challenges as obtains in all developing nations, the Nasarawa State government has made significant investments towards enhancing a conducive environment for both teaching and learning through massive construction/renovation of classrooms and provision of furniture, among other facilities in public primary schools across the state,” the release read in part.

The release added that the government recently distributed desks, chairs and other educational materials to schools statewide, through the Nasarawa Universal Basic Education Board, NSUBEB. To protect the teachers and pupils, Ahemba said, the government continues to expend huge resources to erect parameter fences in public primary and secondary schools as well as drilling boreholes, geography surveys, and landscaping, among other facilities that promote a suitable environment for teaching and learning.

The SSA therefore call on members of the public to ignore the report, while imploring newsmen to fact-check their reports with the relevant official channels before publishing, to avoid misinforming the public. He concluded with an assurance that the government is steadfast in providing an improved standard of education through the provision of facilities, training and retraining of teachers, regular recruitment and payment of staff salaries as when due

Pix: Gov. Abdullahi Sule