Bauchi governor promises to provide basic education for all out-of-school children

Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State, has promised to bring back the grandeur and stature of public education in the state and ensure that every child has access to it.

Mohammed made the guarantee on Monday at the Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar Hajj Camp in Bauchi when he opened the first-ever Education Summit.

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In 2018, Bauchi had the greatest number of school-age children nationwide, 2.3.

The governor revealed that since his appointment in 2019, the number of out-of-school children in the State has dropped from a startling 2.3 million to 700,000 thanks to the inclusion strategy and sheer political determination.

According to him, the ability of any administration to advance is closely related to its capacity to offer all students, whatever of their circumstances, a high-quality education.

He stated, “Our goal is to tackle the problems in a comprehensive manner, developing a labour force capable of filling the manpower shortages in the fields of health, agriculture, education, construction, ICT, and the contemporary economy, not only in Bauchi State but also throughout Nigeria.

“Our ultimate goal is to build a knowledge-based economy by imparting the knowledge, skills, and values required in the globalised economy, thereby leveraging the demographic challenge of youth unemployment as an asset.”

According to him, one of the summit’s main goals will be to perform a thorough evaluation of Bauchi’s educational system, taking into account the demographics of the out-of-school population as well as the effects of various obstacles on learning.

Mohammed revealed that the summit’s topic, “Nurturing a Flourishing Future: Improving Access and Quality of Education in Bauchi State,” included the development of evidence-based policies, programmes, and tactics geared at overcoming the obstacles.

“Since the start of my first administration, I am pleased to report a progressive increase in budgetary allocation to education,” he declared.

“We have committed about 16% of the overall budget to education in the fiscal year 2023—a record high in recent memory.

“Our strong belief that a well-funded education sector is crucial for the overall development of our state is underscored by this significant investment.”

The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, bemoaned in a goodwill statement the growing number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, especially in the country’s north.

“It is depressing as well as unacceptable,” he remarked.

To address and revers the trend of this time-bomb occurrence, coordinated measures are required.

“Activities of the recently formed National Commission for Almajiri and Out of School Children are scheduled to begin at the Federal level.

“The Commission will handle problems and create procedures to integrate Tsanga/Madrasa schools into Basic Education.”

He emphasised the value of education in promoting sustainable development and opening doors to a brighter future for all kids.

He stated, “It is the cornerstone upon which they can construct their lives and make contributions to the advancement of their state and society.”

Sununu emphasised that we are all accountable for education, and that if it fails, the entire nation will likely collapse as well.

“The Federal Ministry of Education acknowledges and applauds the efforts of His Excellency, Governor Bala Mohammed for significant advancements in Bauchi State on the basis of this,” the statement read.

History documents that, in order to combat the problem of out-of-school children syndrome and subpar learning outcomes, you established the Bauchi State Education Committee, which is currently led by His Royal Highness, the Emir of Bauchi State, Dr. Rilwan Sulaiman Adamu.

“Your dedication to ensuring a literate, vibrant, and educated Bauchi State is evident in the ongoing teacher capacity building, state-wide teacher promotion, your approval of the hiring of additional teachers to support teaching and learning, the renovation and construction of additional schools, and the payment of student examination fees, to name a few.