Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state has embarked on a mission to boost basic education and enhance human capital development in the state. He recently commissioned basic education schools infrastructure and educational interventions across the 23 local governments in Kaduna state. The commissioning ceremony held at Sultan Bello Primary School, Unguwan Sarki, in Kaduna North LGA, was attended by the deputy governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, who represented the governor.
Governor Uba Sani emphasized the importance of basic education, noting that it lays the foundation for a child's future. He stated that primary education is where children learn to read, write, count, reason, and relate with others. The governor also highlighted the significance of discipline, curiosity, and confidence, which begin at the primary school level. He warned that a weak foundation in basic education can lead to a fragile structure of learning.
The governor's administration has made significant investments in basic education, constructing or rehabilitating 3,267 classrooms and building 2,232 toilet facilities. These efforts aim to provide a healthier and more dignified learning environment, particularly for girls. Additionally, 180 hand-pump boreholes have been sunk to bring clean water closer to pupils and teachers. The governor's administration has also built 87 science laboratories and provided 29 computer centers to equip students with the skills required in a changing world.
Governor Uba Sani's administration has also provided 81,540 sets of furniture to ensure that children do not have to sit on bare floors while learning. Project monitoring vehicles have been provided to strengthen supervision, quality assurance, and accountability across the 23 Local Government Areas. Furthermore, four state-of-the-art Bilingual Education Schools have been delivered in partnership with UBEC and the Islamic Development Bank, providing 192 classrooms with a capacity to cater to 7,680 learners.
The governor's administration is not only focused on improving schools for children who are already enrolled but also aims to bring more children into the education system. To achieve this, 545,748 teaching and learning materials covering literacy, numeracy, science, and other core subjects have been distributed. Additionally, 33,137 teachers, head teachers, and School Support Officers have received training in areas such as computer skills, classroom management, literacy, numeracy, and school management.
The Commissioner of Education, Prof Abubakar Sani Sambo, disclosed that the state has instituted an annual Kaduna Best Teacher of the Year Award to recognize educators who go beyond what is asked of them. The governor's administration has also approved a review of the minimum wage for primary school teachers, from N38,000 to N72,000. Furthermore, the governor has resolved the long-outstanding NUT Endwell Scheme dispute, releasing N548,000,000.00 to retired teachers.
The Executive Chairman of Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB), Mubarak Mohammed, pointed out that the commissioning ceremony was just one part of the state-wide interventions, which are spread across all local governments. KADSUBEB has distributed 545,748 teaching and learning materials across schools and is commissioning 1,100,000 Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs), 18 Smart Boards, 55 motorcycles, and 3 golf wagons to support digital learning and strengthen quality assurance.
Key points
- Governor Uba Sani's administration has constructed or rehabilitated 3,267 classrooms and built 2,232 toilet facilities.
- The governor's administration has distributed 545,748 teaching and learning materials covering literacy, numeracy, science, and other core subjects.
- The state has instituted an annual Kaduna Best Teacher of the Year Award to recognize educators who go beyond what is asked of them.
