19th February, 2024
By Maduabuchi Nmeribeh/Kano
Kano government, on Sunday, launched an aggressive campaign against children staying out of school, urging parents to ensure that all their children attend school and acquire basic education which has been declared free in the state.
The state government warned parents against stopping their children from going to school, particularly, the girls.
The state Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Haruna Umar Doguwa, said the state government has provided all facilities needed to ensure that every child in the state has access to basic education.
According to him, apart from providing books, and other infrastructures needed to give children adequate free primary and basic education in the state, more classroom blocks and chairs are being constructed to accommodate millions of schoolchildren in the state.
He said a number of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have indicated interest to partner with the state government in reviving the educational sector, which according to him was, “messed up by policies introduced by the immediate-past administration.’
Alhaji Doguwa said plans have been concluded to re-open 28 boarding schools closed down by previous administration so as to create more opportunities for thousands of children who dropped out of school as a result of the closure to have access to education.
Alhaji Doguwa spoke during a one-day Massive Townhall Meeting and Stakeholders Engagement at State Level on the Significance of Girl’s Education as Key Impetus for Accelerated Development of Kano State, organized by the state Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and the PWDs, held at Sani Abacha Stadium Indoor Sports Hall, Kofar Mata, Kano.
According to him, the state government has decided to sanction parents who hinder their children from going to school.
He said the new policy indicated that all children should not only go to school, but must be punctual and time-conscious, as Kano plans to achieve zero-out-of-school children.
Alhaji Doguwa maintained that the state government will no longer tolerate children roaming the streets during school hours for whatever reason, adding that the government will not tolerate absenteeism and lateness.
“When we came on board, we met education sector in a pathetic situation, we have 5.3 million students in the state, we met about 4.5 students sitting on the floor without chairs and without teaching materials.
“The previous administration shut down 28 boarding schools. We have over 32,000 students in those schools, after the closure, we now have about 9,000 students in boarding schools. Most of them are now in day schools.
“So if the government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf allocated 29.7 per cent of budget on education, promise to pay salary on time, repair about 70 high capacity vehicles to transport the children to school, we monitor the conduct of the teachers, what about children who don’t go to school and the parents whose role it is to send their wards to school?
“So the component that is remaining now is the student aspect which we decide to reach out to the parents to know the importance of education, their commitment to allow their children to be in school in good time.
“If we find a child coming late to school, we will invite the parents, explain the situation to them and tell them we want them (children) to come by 8am. And if they didn’t heed the call we will do the needful.
“The way we take measures on teachers who come to school late, so we will take measures on children who come to school late.
“Parents must realize they have a responsibility to send their children (both male and female) to school,” he said.
In her remarks, the Secretary, High Level Women Association, HILWA, Hajia Ladidi Fagge, said closure of the boarding schools is the genesis of school drop out of girls in the state as they now engaged in the street hawking among others.
She appealed to parents to compliment the state government’s efforts by ensuring that their children go to school.