Headlines
How clerics preach child spacing in Kano – Interfaith chair
Nasiru Yusuf
The chairman of Kano state Interfaith Forum Hafiz Sani Abdullahi said the group has preached child birth spacing to over one million persons in 2020.
Kano Focus reports that Abdullahi revealed this on Tuesday at the ongoing virtual 6th Nigeria Family Planning conference 2020.
The cleric who was represented by the secretary of the forum Tijjani Imam said over 340 religious leaders have been empowered with right information and messages on child birth spacing across the 44 local government areas.
According to him the members of interfaith forum have delivered sermons on child birth spacing in 420 mosques and 157 churches in Kano state.
“About 1.2m people have been reached with CBS messages through Jumaat prayers, tafsir, church and fellowships. Religious leaders have featured in over 20 live radio programmes.
“Over 100 publicly statements have been made by religious leaders on child birth spacing in Kano state,” the Imam said.
He however attributed low level of basic education as the major set back of embracing contraceptive among people of reproductive age in Kano.
The cleric added that other challenges include women’s fear of contraceptive side effects and stock out of commodities especially Long Acting Reversible Contraception LARC.
The Imam rounded of his presentation with a quotation of former Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi ll.
“Instead of having many children, why not have the ones you can cater for? These are the fundamental questions we should ask ourselves. Most of these children roaming about the streets will be adult in the next 20 years and they will be the ones recruited as political thugs by the politicians in the next 20 years, if we don’t take good care of them now.”
Nigeria’s Population Dynamics
In his presentation titled population growth and the challenges of human capital development, the chairman Association for the advancement of family planning (AAFP), Ejike Oji said the unemployment rate in Nigeria has skyrocketed from 2% in 1960 to 27% in 2020 due to population dynamics.
According to him the average fertility rate in Nigeria is 5.5 which is higher than the 2.5 of the world, with static contraceptive prevalent rate of 12% for almost a decade.
Mr Oji who is also the chairman Board of Trustees, Network of Reproductive Health Journalists Nigeria, observed that although 70% Nigeria’s population are below the age of 40, 45% under the age of 15, yet the country is the poverty capital of the world ranked 187 out of 189 countries in health care.
He said presently Nigeria has the highest infant mortality rate in the world.
How to reverse the horrible trends
Mr Oji advocated fertility reduction and massive investment in infrastructure and human capital development in healthcare sector as one of the most effective strategy of reversing the ugly trends.
Other strategies according to him include massive investment in formal and non formal education as well as policies that will ensure equity, fairness, justice and sense of security in the country.
Aminu Abdullahi
The adolescent girls initiative for learning and empowerment AGILE has been described as a major catalyst to educational development.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Emir of Rano, Alhaji Muhammad Isa Umaru, made the indication while receiving AGILE team in his palace.
According to him, Kano has witnessed significant progress in girl child education facilitated by AGILE, hence the need for traditional institutions and relevant stakeholders to contribute their quota to achieve the desired objectives.
He noted that, Rano Emirate has been at the forefront of ensuring enrollment retention and completion of girls education through various initiatives.
The emir called on the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) to upgrade the girls school in his community.
The monarch said, the school, located beside the palace, requires expansion to accommodate a larger number of students.
The traditional ruler suggested that AGILE should visit the school to assess its condition, saying that, relocating the school to a bigger location had been earlier considered.
In his remarks the permanent secretary Kano state ministry of education Alhaji Bashir Baffa explained that, they were at the palace to seek for support and blessings form the royal father.
He said, AGILE has fostered an enabling environment for girls through promoting behavioral changes through communication campaigns engagement with traditional rulers and advocacy.
He maintained that, the team has embarked on advocacy visits to all relevant stakeholders at community and state levels on the importance of girls education.
Alhaji Baffa hinted that the state government had declared a state of emergency on education, hence the need for the traditional institution to contribute its quota to achieve the desired objectives.
He posited that, the team will visit the school to see possible ways of intervening for the development of education.
The permanent secretary also used the opportunity to condole Rano emirate over the killing of its indigenes in Uromi.
KANO FOCUS reports that, earlier the team has paid a similar visit to Karaye Emirate council as part of efforts to advocate for support from the traditional institution and relevant stakeholders.
Aminu Abdullahi Ibrahim
The Kano State Ministry of Education’s Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, supported by the World Bank, has successfully renovated over 1,300 senior and junior secondary schools in the state in the last three years.
KANO FOCUS reports that the state commissioner for education, Alhaji Ali Haruna Makoda, disclosed this during a visit to the Karaye Emirate on Tuesday.
He added that the AGILE program has enrolled more than 30,000 girls through targeted outreach, grants, and its Second Chance education initiative.
Makoda further revealed that the state government has finalized plan to construct 130 new schools in rural communities, with over 35,000 girls already benefiting from financial assistance under the scheme.
He urged the Karaye Emirate to lend full support to the program and prioritize girls’ education.
In his remarks, the Emir of Karaye, Alhaji Muhammad Maharaz, pledged the emirate’s commitment to advancing girls’ education in Kano State.
He commended the state government and the commissioner for their dedication to the programme’s success.
“It is our collective responsibility to support this initiative,” the Emir stated, calling for measures to ensure beneficiaries complete their education with strong academic outcomes.
The commissioner’s delegation consist of the Kano State AGILE Project Coordinator, Malam Mujitapha Aminu and other members of State Programme Implementation Unit (SPIU).
Aminu Abdullahi Ibrahim
Bayero University Kano (BUK) on Monday celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Faculty of Education and inaugurated its Alumni Association at the Convocation Arena of the university’s new campus.
KANO FOCUS reports that the event was graced by government officials, education stakeholders, and alumni all gathered to commemorate the faculty’s contributions to Nigeria’s educational sector.
In her keynote address, the State Minister for Education, Mrs. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad announced the Federal Government’s Sector Renewal Initiative designed to transition Nigeria from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.
She highlighted that the aim of the renewal initiative consists of – Reducing the number of out-of-school children; combating learning poverty; nhancing skills development and human capital for the labor market
The minister noted that the initiative prioritizes Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET); Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM); Digital literacy and education quality assurance.
Mrs. Ahmad disclosed that the Federal Government had disbursed ₦35 billion to 261 beneficiaries under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), with BUK among the top beneficiaries.
“So far, the scheme has received 420 applications, and we are scaling up investments,” she stated.
She further confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved ₦120 billion to boost TVET programs, with plans to train 650 youths in technical, vocational, and digital skills over the next two years.
Emeritus Professor Sani Ahmad Sufi, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, praised the faculty for its high-quality graduates.
“Our pride lies not just in the number of graduates produced yearly, but in their impact across Nigeria and beyond,” he said.
He added that the faculty has produced Nigeria’s largest pool of graduate teachers many of whom hold key positions nationally and internationally.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje applauded the faculty for its significant role in advancing education in Nigeria.
The event concluded with awards presented to distinguished alumni and supporters of the faculty in recognition of their contributions to its growth.
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