Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf has finally declared a State of Emergency on Education on Saturday as part of his commitment to rescuing the sector from total collapse in the state.
Delivering his address at the Government House on Saturday, Governor Abba Kabir said, declaring the state of emergency will allow government to take bold steps to address critical challenges bedeviling the sector across the street.
A statement made available to newsmen by the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, quoted the governor as saying that the move is encapsulated in the overall vision for the education delivery in his vision statement.
“Every school, a good school; every child, enrolled child, every student, an engaged learner; every teacher, a caring educator; every parent, a supportive partner; and your government, a committed investor in human capital development.
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“The declaration will enable the government to mobilize resources, implement urgent reforms, and focus on strategic interventions that will rebuild the educational infrastructure, provide necessary materials, a step that will pave way for every child in Kano State to have access to quality education, which is their fundamental right.” He said.
Alhaji Abba Kabir explained provisions made to strengthen the declaration that includes: allocation of 29.95% of 2024 budget; restoration of upkeep and overhead funds for secondary schools; Unveils plan for building an additional 300 laboratories, plan to construct 1000 classrooms within the next academic session and reopening of all the boarding school closed by the immediate past administration.
Others are; plan for comprehensive renovation of all primary and junior secondary schools;28, 264 classes in the next three years to enroll out of school children; to commence distribution of one-meal per child per day in all primary schools and reintroduction of distribution of free uniforms to all primary I pupils among others.
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In the same vein, the state government has offered full time job to 5,632 BESDA (Better Education Service Delivery for All)teachers, approved for hiring of additional 10,000 teachers with intensified effort of continuous periodic training and retraining of teachers so as to achieve the vision of making ” every teacher, a caring educator”.
The government has also approved the disbursement of the sum of 300 million naira as soft loan to teachers working under the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) across the state.
The Governor used the opportunity to extensively dwelt on the feats achieved by his administration within one year in office in the area of educational development in the nooks and crannies of Kano State.
He reminded parents that the responsibility for improving the educational sector doesn’t rest solely with the government, but it is a collective endeavor requiring the cooperation of parents, communities and stakeholders in the education sector.
Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf thanked the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Remi Tinubu for donating 110,000 exercise books to the state that were distributed during the occasion.
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The chairman of the occasion and former governor of Cross Rivers State, Donald Duke doffed hat to Kano State Government for being a face setter as the occasion symbolizes re-birth of education not only in Kano, but in the northern part of the country.
In his submission, a special guest and former governor of Kano State, Sen. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso expressed joy for the development and called on all and sundry to support governor Abba Kabir Yusuf in taking Kano to greater heights.
He admonished newly employed teachers to accept their posting to rural areas with good minds to achieve the desired goals and objectives.
The occasion was graced by stakeholders on education at the Federal, States levels and Development Partners.