GOV. AHMED ALIYU SCORES BIG IN BASIC, SECONDARY EDUCATION SECTOR – PROF. ALA

GOV. AHMED ALIYU SCORES BIG IN BASIC, SECONDARY EDUCATION SECTOR – PROF. ALA

From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto

The Sokoto State Government has recorded massive achievements in the Basic and Secondary Education sector from May 2023 to date under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto.

This was disclosed by the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. A. L. Ala, during a press briefing on the achievements of the present administration.

According to the Commissioner, government constructed and renovated 10 prominent secondary schools across the state at the cost of N8.4 billion.

He listed the schools to include GGMSS Illela, GDSS Dan Kuda Illela, Sheikh Abubakar Mahmud Gummi Memorial College, Sokoto, Sani Dangyadi Unity Secondary School Farfaru, Sokoto Science College, Sultan Abubakar College, Sokoto, Hafsatu Ahmadu Bello Secondary School, Command Secondary School, Shagari, Command Secondary School, Sokoto and Government Girls Unity Secondary School, Bodinga.

Prof. Ala said government paid SSCE examination fees for WAEC, NECO, NBAIS and NABTEB, amounting to N1.57 billion in 2024 for over 35,000 candidates, N2.53 billion in 2025 for 35,000 candidates and N2.62 billion in 2026 for 36,000 candidates, adding that in 2026 more than 70% of the candidates obtained five credits and above.

He said government established three mega schools in the three senatorial zones at the cost of N4.5 billion, provided N200,000 monthly cash allocation to principals of 329 Junior and Senior Secondary Schools amounting to N65.8 million monthly, and increased salaries of primary and secondary school teachers effective January, 2025.

Other achievements, according to him, include conduct of Annual School Census from 2023 to 2026, establishment of Out-of-School Children centre at Gandu, establishment of Sokoto All Girls Science Academy, establishment of seven Charter Schools, rigorous monitoring and evaluation, sensitization visits to 23 LGAs, introduction of free bus services for students within and outside Sokoto metropolis, and feeding of 23 boarding schools with 17,367 students at the cost of N680.7 million annually, with feeding cost per child increased from N140 to N420.

He added that government procured drugs, digitised Educational Management Information System, utilized digital learning platforms including Nigerian Learning Passport, Edu Inspire and Edu Hope, procured tables and chairs worth N1 billion, revitalised the Academic Planning Board abandoned for four years, upgraded three JSS to GDSS in Gudu LGA, and collaborated with Federal Ministry of Education to establish three vocational schools in Sifawa, Wamakko and Wurno LGAs commissioned in May 2024.

The Commissioner said government also provided sporting facilities, assistive technology devices for learners with disabilities, 100 Quranic brailles for the blind at A. A. Raji Special School, and sponsored students for National Debate Competitions in Ogun in 2025 where Sokoto came second and Cross River in 2026 where the state came third and was nominated to represent Nigeria in Morocco.

On SUBEB, he said government provided infrastructure to 2,115 primary and 296 JSS, constructed 800 new classroom blocks, constructed 514 water-system toilets, 82 perimeter fences, 67 boreholes, provided 41,000 desks and chairs, renovated 930 classroom blocks, constructed UBEC/SUBEB model school along Maituta Road with N90.9 million, built new primary school in Bada-Bada village in Kware LGA, upgraded schools in Tudun Wada, and provided 60,000 copies of Mu Karanta and Let’s Read textbooks, 340,000 teaching materials and 381,000 reading textbooks.

He said SUBEB trained 21,000 teachers and 10,000 SBMC members, organized vocational training for 1,500 pupils, provided vehicles and motorcycles for monitoring, emerged overall champions at North-West zonal sports in Katsina and won three gold and one silver at national level in Abuja, qualifying to represent Nigeria in Sweden, introduced Agricultural Education Training Programme and approved construction of three mega schools with 60 classrooms each, clinic, ICT centre, library and sports ground.

On Teachers Service Board, he said government approved N70 million for training of teachers on school management and computer literacy, recruited 2,000 teachers, conducted workshop for 500 non-professional science teachers, inducted 1,212 newly recruited teachers, cleared backlog of 300 regular staff and promoted 309 contract staff due since 2015.

On AGILE Project, Prof. Ala said government approved and paid N150 million counterpart fund and N50 million take-off fund, inaugurated State Steering Committee, trained SBMCs, disbursed School Improvement Grant to 448 schools, restored allowances of Islamiyya Mallams, constructed three Almajiri Space Centres in Kalalawa, Makera Shuni and a Digital Village at Sultan Muhammadu Maccido Institute, among other interventions.

He further listed achievements under Arabic and Islamic Board, Female Education Board, Nomadic Education and development partners including UNICEF, EU, USAID, PLAN International which secured 45 million Euros EU funding for Education and Youth Empowerment covering 15 LGAs, establishment of 100 Integrated Quranic Schools, 200 ABEP centres and training of thousands of learners and facilitators.

According to him, under AGILE renovation, 490 JSS and 250 SSS classrooms were renovated, 28 JSS schools constructed within primary schools and 28 SSS schools within JSS campuses, each with 10-12 classrooms, laboratories, toilets, boreholes, perimeter fence, solar power, ICT facilities, with 11,521 furniture, 97,546 teaching materials, 190 solar boreholes, 2,500 computers and empowerment support for over 133,734 adolescent girls.