Education

How Governor Sani of Kaduna Reduces Number of Out-of-School Children from 680,000 to 300,000

Published by Tope Fakinlede on June 9th, 2024.

How Governor Sani of Kaduna Reduces Number of Out-of-School Children from 680,000 to 300,000

Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, announced a significant reduction in the number of out-of-school children from 680,000 to 300,000 since he took office. He highlighted this achievement during a lunch event organized by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Malam Sadiq Mamman-Lagos, marking his first year in office.

Governor Sani detailed his administration’s accomplishments, which include constructing 62 secondary schools and over 2,000 classrooms, as well as building 673 kilometers of roads across the state’s 23 local government areas. Additionally, he noted the construction of 2,347 new classrooms in existing primary schools.

Recognizing Kaduna as a challenging state to govern due to its diverse nature, Governor Sani emphasized his commitment to inclusive governance. He attributes his administration’s success to consulting with former governors and other experienced leaders, forming an Elders Forum chaired by Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha and General Zamani Lekwot.

“A lot of people are surprised that, within one year, we have completed 54 roads, totaling about 673 kilometers,” Governor Sani said. “This is because we are consulting with every former governor of the state, tapping into their experiences.”

Education remains a top priority for Governor Sani, who sees it as essential to addressing issues of insecurity, poverty, and unemployment. His administration’s efforts have resulted in a substantial reduction in out-of-school children through aggressive investment in education.

“In the last 11 months, we have built 62 secondary schools and 2,347 classrooms in our primary schools,” he stated. “We are also focusing on skills education, currently building three major skills acquisition centers in the state’s political zones. These centers will soon be completed, providing 1,200 youths with the skills necessary for self-employment.”

Governor Sani also highlighted the importance of agriculture, which contributes 42% to the state’s GDP. His administration has supported 60,000 smallholder farmers with inputs and equipment to maintain Kaduna’s leading position in maize, ginger, and tomato production.

Efforts to improve healthcare have not been neglected, with reconstruction and re-equipping of secondary healthcare centers that had been neglected for over a decade. The rural revitalization project is also underway.

Former Vice President and former Kaduna State Governor, Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo, along with former Military Administrator, A.S. Ahmed, praised Governor Sani for uniting the state and making strides in security.

The lunch event, convened by Hon. Sadiq Mamman-Lagos, celebrated Governor Sani’s achievements. Business grants were awarded to over 100 grassroots supporters, and wheelchairs were distributed to people with disabilities from the state’s three zones.