Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Babangida Aliyu, has highlighted a pressing issue in Northern Nigeria’s education system, stating that “50 percent of teachers in the north are not qualified.”
He spoke yesterday at the conference organised by the foundation with the theme: “Education in Northern Nigeria: Status, Challenges, and the Way Forward” in Abuja.
He said no Northern state in Nigeria has 50 percent qualified teachers as the minimum qualification required is Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE).
Many individuals, according to him, are teaching because they lack better opportunities.
Aliyu expressed concern about the growing number of out-of-school children in a country grappling with poverty.
He emphasised the urgent need for action to address this alarming situation.
During his tenure as the governor of Niger from 2007 to 2015, Aliyu encountered disheartening conditions in schools, where hundreds of children had to sit on bare floors, and some schools had only three teachers for classes spanning from 1 to 6.
He stressed the importance of NCE as a minimum requirement for teachers and lamented the erosion of its foundation.
According to him, he took proactive steps during his tenure, ensuring that teachers were paid promptly, with a cap not exceeding 25th of every month, in pursuit of better educational outcomes.
On his part, the chairman of the organising committee and secretary of the Board of Trustees of the foundation, Ibrahim Shekarau said the north despite its rich cultural heritage, historical significance, and abundance of human resources, unfortunately lags behind in terms of educational development compared to other regions in the country.
Shekarau emphasised the need for urgent action, stating, “These findings are not meant to discourage us, but rather to serve as a wake-up call for urgent action.
“Education is the bedrock of any prosperous society, and it is our collective responsibility to address these challenges head-on.”
He stressed the importance of collaboration and innovation, noting, “It is only through collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision that we can bring about tangible change.”
On his part, the minister of information, Mohammed Idris, raised critical questions about the state of leadership and education in Northern Nigeria lamenting the lack of progress in the region 60 years after the demise of Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello.
In his address, he emphasised the pivotal role of inspiring and purposeful leadership in driving societal change and development.
Idris questioned the events that have transpired between 1966 and the present day, underlining the need for Northern Nigeria to engage in introspection and return to the drawing board.
He called for a thorough examination of where things have gone wrong and the implementation of necessary corrections.
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