Nasiru Yusuf

The Kano state commissioner for education Muhammad Sunusi Sa’idu Kiru has attributed the delay of releasing the result of state examination to increasing number of candidates.

KANO FOCUS reports that Kiru revealed this during a one-day public policy dialogue on Education and contemporary security challenges in Nigeria, organized by PERL-ECP, in kano.

He noted that Kano Education Resource Department (KERD) is overwhelmed with with planning and administering common entrance and qualifying examinations to the detriment of it’s core mandate of curriculum development.

The commissioner added that he has since wrote to Kano state government requesting for the establishment of Kano state examination agency to manage all internal examinations.

Set up a girl child education unit

Kiru also said the government had established a girl child education unit to cater for the girl child in terms of education.

He said Kano state was committed to the provision of free and compulsory education through the provision of additional schools, learning materials, payment of examination fees among others.

The commissioner explained that Kano state government had established two additional girls secondary schools within the state metropolis. Saying that over 100 girls schools would be established across the 44 local governments.

The commissioner pointed out that the state government had taken adequate proactive security measures to protect the lives of students including the closure of boarding schools and conversion of some boarding schools to day.

“Government has paid 100% examination fees for girls,and has established additional girls boarding schools with adequate learning materials and infrastructures to cater for their health and we’ll being,” Kiru said.

Kano set up education trust fund

Also speaking the executive chairman, policy strategy, implementation and evaluation directorate, government house Kano, Rabi’u Sulaiman Bichi, said Kano state government has established an education trust fund and promotion committee to strengthen the educational system.

Engr. Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi and other panelists

Bichi who also served as the chairman of the public dialogue explained that one per cent of the profit from contracts were dedicated to the education trust fund (ETF) to provide learning materials.

According to him, members of the education promotion committee (EPC) are saddled with the responsibilities of sourcing for intervention on education from philanthropists and wealthy individuals.

He said, the directorate had created a data base that collates records of educated youths in the state to reduce unemployment.

The executive chairman reaffirmed the state government’s readiness to partner with relevant stakeholders to improve the standard of education in the state.

“Kano state government sponsored large percentage of it’s indigenes to further their education. Education promotion committee (EPC) were given intervention funds to go round the local governments to find out their problems and seek assistance on the provision of learning materials and infrastructures,” he said.

Why PERL organise the Public Policy Dialogue

Earlier in a remark, the state team leader of Partnership to Engage Reform and Learn (PERL), Isa Surajo, said the public policy dialogue was organized to pave way for meaningful discussions on the effects of insecurity on the educational system.

Malam Isa Surajo

He noted that at the end of the dialogue, stakeholders would proffer lasting solutions to girl child education and ensure a safe and protective learning environment that would increase access, attendance, reduce truancy, enhance retention and completion.

Surajo charged the government at all levels to improve service delivery through mapping out policies and programs and inclusive realistic budget that would go a long way in developing the society.

“There should always be a voice,policies and laws to guide citizens demand.We encourage inclusive realistic budget,public procurement especially in health and education,” he said.

Kano allocates 30% of it’s budget to education

In their separate remarks the Kano state commissioner of planning and budget, Nura Muhammad Dankadai and the Executive Secretary of the state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Danlami Hayyu said the state government had allocated over 30% of it’s total budget to education.

Alhaji Nura Muhammad Dankadai and other panelists

They pointed out that Kano has 3.8 million children enrolled in primary schools,out of which over 2 million are girls.

He said the Board has commenced the building of additional block of class rooms to accommodate the large number of pupils.

Participants

KANO FOCUS reports that the public policy dialogue on education and contemporary security challenges in Nigeria:Themed ‘ Implication of Insecurity in the development of Education sector in kano’ witnessed a large turn out of government officials, traditional rulers, development partners, heads of educational institutions and all relevant stakeholders in the education sector.