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Education Summit: Kano Govt frowns at late coming to school among pupils
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano state government has expressed displeasure over staggering lateness among pupils, warning that it will not condone late coming to school by children.
KANO FOCUS reports that the commissioner of education Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa gave the warning on Tuesday at a two-day education summit organised by the government in conjunction with Adolescent Health and Information Projects AHIP, PLANE, CSACEFA and Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF).
Doguwa said said the government would collaborate with Hisbah corps to monitor students who move around the streets during school hours and take action them.
At the Summit with the theme, ‘Towards Strengthening Retention and Completion of Girl’s Education‘, the commissioner informed participants of strides of this administration in revitalising and fortifying the education sector with focus on empowering and retaining girls in the school system towards completion.
According to him “the government is collaborating with European Union EU and other development partners to improve education in the state.”
He noted that, to improve better system, the government would also constitutes Council on Education and Education data bank for effective monitoring.
Recognising transportation barriers, Doguwa explained that, Kano state government has reintroduced dedicated 57 shuttle buses for girl students in the state to ease transport.
The commissioner said; “Within the 8 metropolitan Local Government Areas. We are currently looking at the ministry of Education proposal of expanding the shuttle bus service coverage to reach remote and underserved areas.”
Speaking on lack of schools attendance by students, he said the government would collaborate with Hisbah paramilitary to monitor students who move about the streets during school hours and take action them.
The Director Adolescent Health and Information Projects, Hajiya Mairo Bello identified education as the first foundation of life, stressing that “AHIP is determined to promote Girl Child Education not only in Kano state but the entire Northern Nigeria.”
She said other thematic areas of AHIP includes youth Development programmes, Women Empowerment initiatives, Health promotions, life skills training, Community Mobilization and Networking and Gender and Social inclusions among others initiatives.
“Our Adolescent girls must retain and complete their education for Nigeria’s brighter future and economic prosperity,” Hajia Bello said.
She noted that promotion of education is moral responsibility of all, adding that her NGO is ready to partner with the Kano state government and others to advance the course of girl child education.
Also speaking, Professor Ismail Mohammed Zango while presenting findings from a Research conducted on Exploring the Adolescent Girls’ Education in Kano state said, school attendance completion ratio in Kano indicates that boys seems to complete their junior and senior secondary Schools more than the girls in Kano state.
He stressed the need to bridge the gap, identifying critical roles of parents in achieving Girls retention and completion of schools.
Zango also identified poverty as a great factor to school retention and completion of girls Education.
The Chairman Arewa Consultative Forum ACF Kano Chapter, Dr. Goni Umar Farouk called on the business community to contribute to Education and not leave it to the hands of governments a lone.
He also, called on the Kano State government to invest in ICT Education of children as the world is going digital.
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Kano Focus reporter bags West Africa DPI Fellowship
KANO FOCUS reporter Ms Zulaiha Danjuma has been selected alongside 44 other journalists from Benin, Togo, Nigeria and Ghana for the second edition of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DIP) fellowship.
KANO FOCUS reports the DPI fellowship is an initiative by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) in partnership with Co-develop.
A total of 45 journalists from Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Ghana were selected from 45 News organizations after months of rigorous selection processes.
The fellowship is a three-month programme running from November to January 2025, followed by a three-month post-fellowship period for the production of special reports on Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs).
MFWA’s fellowship seeks to equip participants with skills to create impactful reports on topics such as national digital identification systems, online data security, and digital governance; through specialized workshops, mentorship, and hands-on story production.
Ms Danjuma’s selection for the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) fellowship recalibrates *Kano Focus* commitment to growth and knowledge gathering of staffs.
About the Reporter
Ms Zulaiha Danjuma is a dedicated journalist who has produced impactful Investigative stories on government accountability, health and gender based violence.
In 2023, she carried out a groundbreaking investigation on multifaceted illegal tax extortion, forgery and corruption. In 2024, her report of poor budgetary allocation to Hepatitis B successfully brought the attention of the state government, resulting in commitment to provide additional resources for addressing the issue.
Other DPI fellows
Ten fellows were selected from Ghana and Benin, and five fellows from Togo respectively. Nigeria had a total of twenty journalists selected to be part of the second Phase II of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) Fellowship.
Pictures of all fellows:
Headlines
Stakeholders meet to validate Kano climate change policy
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Watershed, Erosion and Climate Change Management Agency in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE) has conducted a one day meeting to validate Kano State’s Climate Change Policy.
KANO FOCUS reports that the exercise held on Thursday in Kano was attended by several stakeholders from different sectors including Government ministries, departments, and agencies as well as academics, Non Governmental Organisations NGOs, Civil Society and media.
Speaking at the occasion, the Commissioner of Environment, Alhaji Nasiru Sule Garo, highlighted the efforts of the Kano state government to address the challenges of climate change in the state.
He commended development partners, academics, civil society organisations and all relevant stakeholders for their contributions, pledging that their inputs will not be taken for granted.
On his part, the Executive Secretary of Kano State Watershed, Erosion and Climate Change Management Agency Dr Muhammad S. Khalid, recalled that the engagement was started in February 2024, where various inputs were collected from different stakeholders on climate change policy.
He said “We started in February 2024, when we had our first stakeholder engagement. We invited various sectors, both government and non-governmental-organisations as well as civil society and academics to develop climate change policy for Kano state.
“In July 2024, we gathered again at Tahir Guests Palace, where we reviewed the first draft and added more inputs. It was a technical session, and we reviewed the document.
“Last week, we gathered at Dutse, Jigawa state, to review the second draft of the climate change policy and today, 7th of November, 2024, to validate the policy and later, present it to the executive governor of Kano state, Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Also speaking the state team of Partnership for Agile Governance and Climate Engagement (PACE), a UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office funded programme Malam Auwalu Hamza, suggested that the validation stage would collect information, advice and other various components of data that would strengthen the policy document.
In her remarks Stella Terver, UNICEF WASH Programme Officer, Kano Field Office, reiterated the commitment of the UN agency to partner with the Kano government in tackling the impact of climate change in Kano.
She said, “A few weeks ago, we supported the Kano State Government in the finalization of climate change policy, and one of the outcomes during the finalization is that there should be a validation of the reviewed version.
“All the inputs made by general experts during the finalization would be incorporated so that the state will have a global and standardised policy in place that will help them in assessing global climate change,” she added.
She assured the general public and good people of Kano State that the validation and issues of tackling climate change would bring a lot of positive impact to the people of Kano.
KANO FOCUS recalled that the initial stakeholders’ engagement was conducted on February 2024 with support from Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL).
Headlines
Gully erosion in Kano: Gov. Yusuf partners World Bank, FG to implement mega project at Gayawa
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
Governor Abba Kabir has visited Gayawa Gully Erosion site and promised to address the environmental challenges and improve the lives of the people in the area.
In a statement issued by the Governor’s Spokesperson Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the Governor made this promise during a visit to the site on Friday.
Governor Yusuf said that, the visit marked the new chapter in the journey towards addressing the persistent environmental challenges that have plagues the community of Bulbula- Gayawa for in Ungoggo Local Government which also affects parts of Nasarawa and Fagge local government areas for decades.
He added that, the urgent concerns raised by the devastating gully erosion necessitated immediate and decisive action to protect the lives and properties of the people in the community.
“The destructive effects of the gully erosion has not only claimed the lives but has inflicted untold hardship from the tragic loss of farmlands to the dangers faced by the children as they travel to school.” Gov. Yusuf emphasised
“The site has regrettably became a place where criminal activities flourished and the loss of children due to flooding during the rainy season, it is heartbreaking,” the governor lamented.
He added that, his administration is firmly committed to tackling the erosion challenges in Bulbula- Gayawa as part of the larger mission to address land degradation, environmental risks and impacts of climate change throughout the state.
Governor Yusuf revealed that the work would be done through the Agro-climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL) under the supervision of state ministry of environment which enjoys strategic partnership with World Bank and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The governor also informed the members of the community that, the ground work for the erosion control has been completed and it would require billions of naira to execute.
“The significant steps taken by the state government to halt indiscriminate and illegal sand mining activities in several areas and embarked on extensive land restoration projects including the rehabilitation of shelterbelt at Yanbawa and Sabongarin Ginzo.
“The restoration of over 21,261hectares of degraded land and the establishment of wood lot plantation, this initiative have been instrumental in mitigating desertification restoring land fertility and promoting sustainable livelihood for our people.
“Beyond controlling erosion, we are implementing community support programmes to revive livelihoods and rebuild what has been lost. Our livelihood support includes agricultural inputs and skill-building initiatives that will empower families and foster productivity in a secure and peaceful environment.
“The current administration is committed to ensuring that no community is left behind. Today, we are here to affirm that your voices have been heard, and we will tirelessly work to restore safety, security, and prosperity to Bulbula-Gayawa and its surrounding areas,” the governor assured.
In his response on behalf of the community, Village Head of Zango, Malam Hamza Jibrin Nuhu appreciated the concern shown by the governor, disclosing that Governor Yusuf was the first and only governor that visited the Gully Erosion site.
He also prayed for governor and wished him success in all the good policies planned for the development of Kano.