Subsidy Removal Affecting School Attendance, Performance – Baraje Centre

The management of Baraje Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Ilorin, Kwara State, yesterday lamented the effects of fuel subsidy removal on its students in the just concluded academic session.

It said the inability of parents to transport their children and wards to the centre following the hike in transportation cost resulted in absence from the school.

The centre owned by the former acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, had been transporting students free of charge until the removal of fuel subsidy, with the attendant hike in fuel pump price.

In his address at the 2022/2023 graduation of students at the centre in Ilorin yesterday, the chairman of the board of trustees, Justice Solihu Muhammed, said: “The 2022/2023 academic session has witnessed a lot of absenteeism from both pupils and students due largely to non- availability of the centre’s transportation, either due to breakdown of our vehicles or insufficient fuel to make two or three trips in a day following which parents and guardians often allowed their wards/ children to remain at home instead of assisting them with transport fare to attend classes.

“The effect of this attitude of non- attendance of classes has shown clearly on the promotion examination results with the highest recorded failures in the centre since inception.
“It’s therefore on this note that the board is seeking the cooperation and assistance of parents/guardians to ensure day to day attendance of their wards/children in classes so as not to have unwanted failures this outgoing session.”

The board chairman who said a total of 139 students were graduating, restated the commitment of the centre to producing leaders that are morally and spiritually upright.

The proprietor, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, thanked the staff and management of the school for their commitment to sound moral spiritual education.