The Federal Government has applauded Niger State Government over the giant strides recorded in the education sector, particularly in the provision of qualitative primary and secondary education.
Receiving Governor Sani Bello on a courtesy call in Abuja, Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi expressed delight over the successes recorded by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and pledged UBEC’s continued support.
The Executive Secretary commended SUBEB for accessing its counterpart fund and appreciated the political will and commitment of Governor Sani Bello in paying the state’s accrued counterpart fund he met from 2013.
Earlier, Governor Sani Bello had appealed to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to accord special attention to technical and vocational education for entrepreneurship skills development that would create job opportunities for the growing number of unemployed youths.
The Governor also solicited the support of the commission in ensuring that religious studies are reintroduced into schools curriculum to assist in the revival of our fast eroding moral values and possibly eliminate the Almajiri phenomenon that has become security threat.
While acknowledging that some parents are shying away from their responsibilities of training their children, the Governor maintained that government must come up with measures that would take the Almajiris out of Nigerian streets, especially in the North.
He urged UBEC to make funds available to cater for special students with disabilities adding that special care for them will remove shame and stigma from them and boost their confidence.
While appreciating the support received by the state from UBEC, Governor Sani Bello expressed displeasure over deficit in schools furniture and appealed to the commission for upward review of the 20 per cent allocation for furniture from the counterpart fund.
Since coming on board in 2015, Governor Sani Bello has constructed and or renovated over 2,500 schools across the state, 22 or which were completely overhauled under the administration’s pragmatic ‘Whole Schools Development Approach.
The Governor, through SUBEB, recruited 2600 Teachers and also established the Teacher Professional Development Institute (NSTPDI) in the three geopolitical zones of the state in deliberate attempt to revive the seemingly comatose profession in the state.
Under the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA), a World Bank assisted programme, the state government has embarked on continuous training of 5,428 Teachers and have also captured over 70,000 Almajiris in the scheme amongst other numerous achievements.
