The Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has approved the sum of N1 billion for the training of basic-level teachers across the 27 local government areas of the state.
Zulum announced the approval on Tuesday in Maiduguri while inaugurating the newly appointed local government Education Secretaries who will administer the affairs of primary education in their respective local governments.
The governor noted that over 1,000 teachers with Ordinary Level Certificates as their highest qualifications will undergo additional training that would allow them to attain minimum teaching qualifications.
The training, according to the Governor, would cover teachers who do not have teaching qualifications but were found suitable to be trained based on the record of the competency test conducted.
Governor Zulum noted that his administration in 2019, when sworn in, embarked on rebuilding the devastated school infrastructures to provide enhanced learning outcomes which he said has resulted in dropping the number of out-of-school children to 800,000 from over two million.
The governor charged the newly appointed Education Secretaries to live up to the expectations, and warned, that anyone found to be underperforming would be replaced.
“I must emphasise that with great privilege comes great responsibility. Therefore, I have directed the Honorable Commissioner for Education to furnish me with quarterly reports on the performance of each education secretary. Those failing to meet expectations will be replaced,” Zulum said.
Meanwhile, Zulum, after inaugurating the secretaries, allocated 58 utility vehicles, each receiving one Toyota Hilux double-cabin 4-wheel-drive pickup truck and one Volkswagen Golf 3 wagons.
The governor noted that the utility vehicles were meant to enhance mobility while warning that they should only be used for official purposes and be operated by authorised drivers.
The Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, in his remark, stated that selection of the Education Secretaries followed the advertisement for the post in December 2023.
Engr. Wakilbe added that the 27 successful education officials were selected from among the 126 applications received.
