The Kaduna State Government has announced a shift in its basic education reforms, moving away from solely providing infrastructure to focusing on learning outcomes. This new approach aims to strengthen foundational education by deploying classrooms, teachers, learning materials, and technology to improve what pupils learn. Governor Uba Sani stated that the quality of education provided to children determines the quality of society.
The governor's administration believes that primary education is crucial as it provides the foundation for children's future learning and development. Deputy Governor Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe emphasized that primary education is where children learn to read, write, count, reason, and relate with others, and where discipline, curiosity, and confidence begin to take shape. A weak foundation can make the structures of learning fragile.
The interventions in the education sector go beyond constructing and rehabilitating classrooms to providing teachers, learning materials, and practical opportunities for pupils. The facilities provided include classrooms, toilets, water facilities, science laboratories, computer centers, furniture, and teaching and learning materials. The government is also targeting children outside the formal education system through partnerships with the Universal Basic Education Commission and the Islamic Development Bank.
Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Bello, stated that the interventions represent the translation of the administration's education policies into tangible improvements in schools. He emphasized that government policy would remain an aspiration unless reflected in a classroom, a borehole, or a laboratory. The success of the interventions should ultimately be measured by their impact on children's learning.
Chairman of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board, Mubarak Muhammad, highlighted that the state is strengthening foundational learning through the Teaching at the Right Level approach and improving quality assurance mechanisms to monitor activities inside classrooms. The interventions were deliberately spread across urban, rural, and hard-to-reach communities to ensure equal access to quality education.
An old student of Sultan Bello Primary School, Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, commended the government for upgrading the school and other primary schools across the state. He urged the government to complement the new facilities with solar power to enable pupils to fully utilize smart boards and other digital learning equipment. A strong foundation in education is essential to building a stronger society.
The Kaduna State Government's new focus on learning outcomes is aimed at ensuring that children acquire skills for the future. The administration's education policy is anchored on the belief that the quality of education provided to children ultimately determines the quality of society. The government is committed to providing quality education to all children in the state.
Key points
- The Kaduna State Government is shifting its basic education reforms from infrastructure to learning outcomes.
- The new approach aims to strengthen foundational education by deploying classrooms, teachers, learning materials, and technology.
- The success of the interventions will be measured by their impact on children's learning.
