A coalition of 14 local civil society organisations across Zamfara State has showered praises on the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, for what they termed a “monumental transformation” of the state’s education sector during his tenure as governor between 2019 and 2023.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, the coalition, led by its chairman, Kamal Ibrahim Gusau, the coalition said Matawalle’s interventions had revived a sector that had long been in decline, bringing hope to thousands of children and families across the state.
The group highlighted the timely release of counterpart funds to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), which enabled Zamfara State to secure a matching grant of ₦5.5 billion. According to them, this single move unlocked major infrastructure developments across the education landscape.
Among the achievements listed were the construction of 900 new classrooms and the renovation of 375 existing but dilapidated ones. They also cited the supply of 20,830 dual and triple-seater desks for pupils, alongside over 960 tables and chairs for teachers.
In efforts to boost digital literacy, the former governor facilitated the construction of eight standard ICT centres, a move the coalition described as “visionary” given the global pivot towards technology-driven learning.
“Security was also prioritised, with the fencing of 14 schools across the state’s local government areas and the construction of 134 toilets and 19 VIP latrines — steps that significantly improved hygiene and safety for schoolchildren,” he said.
He further cited the promotion of 6,500 teachers and the payment of their 2019 leave grants further underscored Matawalle’s commitment to staff welfare, said the CSOs, describing the gesture as “unprecedented in recent history.”
In a rare show of financial transparency and responsibility, Matawalle’s administration paid ₦70 million to offset outstanding debts to Alhikma University, Ilorin and Crescent University, Abeokuta, benefitting hundreds of Zamfara State students on scholarship.
The coalition also applauded the payment of law school fees for indigenes admitted for the 2019/2020 academic session, as well as financial interventions to Abdu Gusau Polytechnic and College of Education Maru to secure long-overdue accreditation of their programmes.
Urging him to return in 2027 as the state governor, the CSOs insisted that only Matawalle possessed the political will and administrative experience to complete the educational renaissance he began, calling him “a leader with unmatched foresight and passion for human capital development.”
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