Education Reform: Lawal Signs Executive Orders

Governor Dauda Lawal signed Executive Orders to establish an integrated governance framework for education financing, school protection, classification, quality assurance, health, and security.

The governor yesterday also launched the distribution of national curricula to public schools during a meeting with education stakeholders at the Government House in Gusau.

A statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, revealed that the reforms address school governance and operations, school feeding and student welfare, transportation safety, safe schools’ implementation, and regulation of graduation ceremonies.

He added that further reforms include unified examinations, school health services, merit-based school leadership appointments, inclusive education, and the promotion of STEM, TVET, and digital education.

In his remarks, Governor Lawal said education is far more than a social service.

He said, “It is the most powerful instrument for reducing poverty, promoting peace, strengthening security, stimulating economic growth, and preparing future generations to compete in an increasingly knowledge-driven world.

“Today, we are turning that commitment into concrete institutional reforms by signing and presenting these Executive Orders.

“These Executive Orders are not isolated directives. Together, they constitute a comprehensive governance framework designed to strengthen school administration, improve accountability, protect public educational assets, enhance financing, promote safety, raise educational standards, improve learning outcomes, and prepare our children for the demands of the twenty-first century.”

Governor Lawal emphasised that, for many years, education reforms focused primarily on physical infrastructure. While classrooms, laboratories, and learning facilities are important, experience shows that buildings alone do not guarantee quality education.

Earlier, Zamfara State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abdulmalik Abubakar Gajam, said that successful education systems depend on collaboration among governments, teachers, parents, communities, traditional institutions, development partners, and the private sector.

“These reforms will not end with policy documents. They will be reflected in safer schools, stronger governance, healthier learners, improved teaching, better educational outcomes and greater public confidence in our education system.”