Reviving Basic Education: Gov Buni Recruits Over 7,000 Teachers, Expands School Infrastructure, Others

Yobe State Governor, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, has recruited over 7,000 teachers, trained more than 12,000 teaching personnel, reconstructed hundreds of schools and expanded educational infrastructure across the state as part of efforts to revive the education sector in the last seven years of stewardship.

Data released by the Yobe State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education under the leadership of the Commissioner, Prof. Abba Idris Adam, showed that the administration recruited 7,230 teachers and trained 12,714 teaching personnel to improve the quality of teaching and learning in public schools across the state.

The data further revealed that the government reconstructed 300 schools, constructed 929 new classrooms and renovated 748 others to provide a more conducive environment for teaching and learning.

According to the ministry, the interventions were aimed at addressing infrastructure deficits in schools, improving access to education and creating a better atmosphere for both teachers and students.

In addition to classroom construction and renovation, the administration constructed 125 staff quarters for teachers, particularly in rural communities, to improve staff welfare and encourage effective service delivery.

The government also provided 275 toilet facilities and drilled 47 solar-powered boreholes in schools across the state as part of efforts to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene services in educational institutions.

The ministry noted that the provision of these facilities has contributed significantly to improving learning conditions and ensuring a healthier environment for pupils and students.

Beyond infrastructure development, the Buni administration has continued to invest heavily in programmes designed to improve access to education and support students from different socio-economic backgrounds.

One of such interventions is the school feeding programme, on which the state government spends about N6 billion annually.

The programme has continued to serve as an incentive for enrolment and retention of pupils in public schools while also supporting the nutritional needs of learners.

The data also showed that the administration remains committed to its policy of free education through the payment of examination fees for students in public schools across the state.

Accordingly, the government spends approximately N3 billion annually on the registration of candidates for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The initiative has enabled thousands of students to sit for examinations without financial constraints, thereby reducing the burden on parents and guardians while encouraging greater participation in education.

Similarly, the state government sponsors 890 students annually under the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) scholarship programme.

The ministry disclosed that about N2.2 billion is committed annually to fund the scholarship scheme, which provides beneficiaries with access to quality education and opportunities for academic excellence.

To decongest overcrowded schools, particularly in urban centres, the Buni administration constructed 14 Mega and Model Schools in Potiskum, Damaturu, Buni-Yadi, Geidam, Nguru and Gashu’a.

The schools were established to expand access to quality education, provide modern learning facilities and accommodate the growing number of students seeking admission into public secondary schools across the state.

Similarly, the government established 10 new girls’ secondary schools to address the challenge of non-continuation of education among female students after completing junior secondary school.

The initiative was designed to improve girls’ access to secondary education, reduce barriers to enrolment and retention, and encourage more female students to pursue higher levels of education in line with the administration’s commitment to promoting inclusive and equitable education across the state.