FROM RAHILA ABDULLAHI, KADUNA
Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani has enacted policies and programmes that are expanding access to education and providing conducive learning atmosphere, resulting to positive outcomes in the education sector.
Commissioner for Education, Professor Muhammad Bello, who stated this at the quarterly ministerial press briefing held at the Government House, Kaduna, said the governor’s policies are in line with his campaign promises.
Professor Bello pointed out that the administration had constructed more schools, additional classrooms and improved the quality of learners and teachers since he assumed office.
‘’At the basic education level, more than 600 classrooms have been constructed since the beginning of this administration and quite a number are being renovated. The era of students studying in an environment that is not conducive for learning has been averted,’’ he said.
According to him, 62 new secondary schools have been built under the AGILE project, promising that 50 new ones will be constructed before the second anniversary of this administration.
Bello disclosed that the six science secondary schools that were funded by the Islamic Development Bank are now up and running.
‘’That project started 16 years ago, but it was stalled and abandoned, it is this administration that completed the school and more than 2,000 students have been enrolled,’’ he recalled.
He noted that the policies of the present administration had manifested into good learning outcomes as can be attested to by the results of national examinations conducted by WAEC, NECO and NABTEB.
The commissioner also disclosed that the percentage of students who passed with five credits in those examinations before the coming of this administration was 54 percent, adding that the percentage is now 67.
He noted that Governor Sani’s commitment to education is evident in his first Executive Order, which reduced tuition fees in all state-owned tertiary institutions by 40 percent.
According to him, the reduction increased students enrollment at Kaduna State University, KASU, Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic, and the College of Education, GidanWaya.
Bello also disclosed that state-owned tertiary institutions had introduced new courses that have passed through verification by regulatory agencies.
According to him, KASU courses were verified by the National Universities Commission, NUC, while those of Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic were accredited by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, adding that the National Commission of Colleges of Education accredited the courses of the College of Education Gidan Waya.
The commissioner also revealed that the administration is committed to reducing the number of out-of-school children by building more schools to expand access.
