Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has stated that his administration’s investments in the education system of the state are fast yielding positive results, noting that this has continued to improve public school enrolment in the state.
He said the government birthed an e-learning system in basic schools to impart digital skills and improve learning outcomes, while boosting the capacity of teachers for maximum service delivery.
The Governor spoke in Ilorin, the state capital, at the official launch of the National Campaign on Out-Of-School Children and Distribution of School Materials to selected Out-Of-School Children (OOSC) in Kwara State.
“The introduction of the e-learning system by our government to our schools through the establishment of digital literacy centers and KwaraLEARN innovative teaching techniques in education, as well as the school feeding programme have not only reduced the pressure on the parents but also increased enrolment and motivated the pupils/students to be regular in the school,” according to the Governor who was represented by his Chief of Staff Prince AbdulKadir Mahe.
AbdulRazaq said the government will double down in pushing policies and programmes that will continue to make the learning environment attractive and ensure that no Kwara child is left out of school.
The Governor described the step to eradicate out-of-school children in Nigeria as unique and thanked the Federal Ministry of Education for picking Kwara as one of the first states to benefit from the national programme.
Minister of Education Prof Tahir Mamman, for his part, said research studies indicate that Nigeria accounts for one out of every five out-of-school children in the world and 45% of out- of-school children in West Africa, saying this ranking is disturbing and unacceptable for a country regarded as Africa’s largest economy.
The Minister praised Governor AbdulRazaq for his government’s commitment to changing the fortune of education in the state.
Kwara State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, ìn her submission, called on the federal government to continue to give Kwara a priority in its dealings with states, given its (Kwara) sterling record of performance in basic education programmes.
Chairman, Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (KwSUBEB) Prof Sheu Raheem Adaramaja said the pride of any society depends largely on the structure, status and achievement of its basic education, acknowledging the exemplary commitment of Governor AbdulRazaq to the sector.
He said the administration has invested so much in school infrastructure and human capital development, and in the welfare of teachers and non-teaching staff to motivate higher productivity in schools.
UBEC Programme Coordinator for Kogi State Mall. Ibrahim Yusuf commended the steps so far taken by Governor AbdulRazaq to change the faces of education sector in Kwara, particularly the regular payments and judicious use of UBEC counterpart funds.
Yusuf called on parents and guardians to build a better future for their kids by enrolling them in schools, and requested the state government to start taking legal actions to discourage parents who, for one reason or the others, prevent their kids from attending schools.
