The Kano State Government says it has set aside N2.4 billion for the maintenance of 1,180 public primary and secondary schools in the state.
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje disclosed this in Kano on Tuesday at the opening of a two-day stakeholders summit on ‘Free and Compulsory Basic and Secondary Education’ in the State.
“We have earmarked N2.4 billion for a year for the funding of 1,180 primary and secondary schools with total number of 834,366 pupils,” he said.
He also said that the state government spent N318 million to provide free school uniforms for 779,522 newly enrolled pupils.
” The state government will also employ 3,000 voluntary teachers in order to reduce teaching deficiency,” he said.
According to him, there are over eight million out of school children in Nigeria with one million of the children in Kano State alone.
“It is more alarming to know that 57 per cent of that figure represents girl-child and most of those out of school children are in the 10 Northern states and regrettably one million of the children are in Kano.”
Ganduje said that to ensure sustainability in the integration of Almajiri system, there was need for regional cordination and legislation to control movement of Almajiris.
“In view of these daunting task, the state government has set up a committee to conduct census of all out-of-school children with a view to get adequate data to ensure planning and preparation for this important education policy,” he added.
According to him , there are 13,619 Qur’anic and Islamiyya schools with 2.5 million pupils in the state.
” In order to streamline and integrate them into free and compulsory education, the state government has establish Qur’anic and Islamiyya schools management board.
“Government has also abolished school fees in all public primary and secondary schools in the state,” Ganduje stated.
He commended the efforts of international donors and called on other stakeholders to support the state to achieve its aim.
Earlier, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said that the Federal Government was targeting no fewer than 15 million children as beneficiaries under its National school feeding programme across the country.
He said the Federal Government was currently feeding 9.8 million children in 32 states of the federation.
Osinbajo said the government was also working with state governments to raise the quality of teachers with a view to providing sound and qualitative education in the country.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu said that the federal government would continue to support the state governments to address the problem of out-of-school children in the country.
Adamu also said that the theme of the programme: “Fundamentals of Free and Compulsory Education” was apt and timely.
He commended the state governor for his strides in education sector, saying that the programme was in line with federal governments next level agenda.
Emir of Bichi, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, who spoke on behalf of order traditional rulers, commended the state government for its effort in addressing the problem of out-of-school children in the state.
He also urged his subjects to enroll their wards in school particularly girl-child.
NAN reports that the event attracted various key stakeholders from within and outside the state.
