Kaduna State Commissioner of Education, Prof. Muhammad Sani Bello, has disclosed that Governor Uba Sani’s administration plans to build 102 new schools in communities where there are no schools.
He said the aim of the project was to ensure that no child treks more than one kilometre in order to get access to a school in Kaduna State.
Prof. Bello said the governor has enacted policies and programmes that are expanding access to education and providing a conducive learning atmosphere, resulting in positive outcomes in the education sector.
Commissioner Bello, who stated this at the quarterly ministerial press briefing held at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House yesterday, said that Governor Sani’s policies were in line with his campaign promises.
Prof. Bello pointed out that the administration has constructed more schools and additional classrooms, as well as improved the quality of both learners and teachers since he assumed office.
“At the basic education level under SUBEB, more than 600 classrooms have been constructed since the beginning of this administration and quite a number are being renovated and the era of having students studying in an environment that is not conducive for learning has been averted,’’ he said.
Prof. Bello said 62 new secondary schools have been built under the AGILE project, promising that 50 new ones will be constructed before the second anniversary of the administration.
He further disclosed that the six science secondary schools that were funded by the Islamic Development Bank are now up and running.
‘’That project started 16 years ago, but it was stalled and abandoned, it is this administration that completed the school and more than 2,000 students have been enrolled in those schools which are pure science schools,’’ he recalled.
The commissioner argued that the policies of the present administration have manifested in good learning outcomes as can be attested to by the results of national examinations conducted by WAEC, NECO and NABTEB.
Prof. Bello disclosed that the percentage of students who passed with five credits in those examinations before the coming of this administration was 54%, adding that the percentage is now 67%.
The Commissioner further recalled that Governor Uba Sani’s commitment to education was evident in his first Executive Order, which reduced tuition fees in all state-owned tertiary institutions by 40%.
