Some stakeholders in the education sector in the North-East have called for more private sector investment in the sector to address the dearth of school infrastructure in the region.
The stakeholders, comprising educationists, teachers, parents and government officials spoke while responding to a survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on school infrastructure in Bauchi, Damaturu, Dutse, Gombe, Maiduguri and Yola.
They said education is a critical sector that contributes to human capital development and sustainable future for the country which must not be overlooked.
The stakeholders called on the private sector to invest more in basic education through scholarships, construction and rehabilitation of schools across the region.
They said the call was imperative to address infrastructure gaps caused by the wide scale vandalisation of schools ocassioned by decade-long Boko Haram insurgency in the region.
Mr Iliyasu Musa, a Bauchi-based educationists, said that most of the schools in the region lack classrooms, offices, laboratories and toilet facilities due to ravaging activities of the insurgents and vandals.
He said the dilapidated infrastructure in basic and post basic schools militated against effective delivery of quality education.
The academic don said that private sector investment would compliment government efforts towards the improvement of school infrastructure across the region.
“The Federal Government in collaboration with states and development partners initiated viable school infrastructure development projects across the region.
“Encouraging private sector investment in education will address school infrastructure deficit in the region,” he said.
To address the infrastructure gaps, the Borno government has constructed 105 schools across the 20 local government areas of the state, according to Mustapha Bukar, Director, School Management, Ministry of Education.
He said that 45 Mega schools were designated out of the 105 newly constructed schools to cater for the children orphaned by Boko Haram insurgency.
While 65 others were established to decongest classrooms, create enabling teaching and learning environment.
Students of Mega schools in Maiduguri
Bukar said the schools were equipped with e-learning devices, air condition system, toilets, power generators and other modern educational accessories.
The gesture, he said, was a deliberate policy to improve school infrastructure geared towards enhancing access to free quality education for all.
“The projects started during the administration of Kashim Shettima and sustained under Babagana Zulum’s stewardship.
“Most of the schools, especially those in rural communities have been vandalised by the insurgents.
“While some of the schools like Government Secondary School, Bama and Government Secondary School, Monguno are being used as Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
“This prompted the government to embarked on massive construction and rehabilitation projects to provide modern school infrastructure in the state.
“The schools are in good condition, however, lack of instructional materials and teacher shortage are some of the challenges affecting the sector in the state,” he said.
He urged the government to recruit additional 1,000 teachers to address manpower gaps in the schools across the state.
Also, the Bauchi State Government has constructed over 200 primary and junior secondary schools across the 20 LGAs in the past three years.
The government also constructed 356 classroom blocks furnished with 18,148 sets of classroom furniture.
Dr Aliyu Tilde, Commissioner for Education, said the government distributed the facilities to secondary schools to facilitate commencement of academic activities for the Third Term 2021/2022 session.
He said the state government adopted proactive measures to encourage development of school infrastructure through increase budgetary allocation to the sector.
Newly constructed classroom blocks in Bauchi
Additionally, the Bauchi State Universal Education Board (BASUBEB), has distributed 10,000 units of funiture to basic and post basic schools under the 2019 UBEC/SUBEB intervention.
Mohammed Abdullahi, Spokesman of the Board, said some 790 units of magnetic white board and 489 recycling bins had been distributed to the schools to promote hygiene and sanitation.
Alhaji Musa Garba, an official of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) in the state, expressed delight over the school infrastructure development projects.
He said the construction of new classrooms and rehabilitation of existing ones in most schools across the state would enhance access to quality education, and commended the state government for the feat achieved.
Garba urged corporate organisations and individuals to compliment the gesture by investing in school infrastructure development.
In Yobe; the state government says it has constructed 200 classroom blocks in its bid to provide conducive learning environment in schools across the state.
Some seven model primary and post basic schools had been established in major towns to decongest students’ population.
A model primary school in Damaturu, Yobe
Prof. Musa Alabi, Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), said that some 75 units of three-bedroom staff quarters, 42 offices and stores as well as 33 units of two-bedroom flat were constructed for teachers.
He said the government also completed construction work on perimeter fencing in 13 schools and 17 boreholes as well as distributed 14,317 classroom furniture and 619 others for teachers.
The Chairman said that the projects were executed in the last three years through UBEC/SUBEB intervention.
Commenting on the development, Ado Idrissa, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Yobe chapter said that most of the schools were in good condition across the state.
Idrissa said the immediate past administration of Ibrahim Geidam had laid a solid foundation for sustainable development in the education sector.
“The present administration of Mai Mala Buni is also doing well in terms of infrastructure development in schools.
“The schools are in good condition and favourable for effective teaching and learning,” he said.
Moreso, the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB) has constructed 97 classroom blocks and renovated 119 schools across the 21 local government areas of the state.
Dr Salihi Ateequ, the board’s Chairman, said the projects were executed under the 2019 Matching Grant.
He said the projects included the construction of 97 Ventilated Improved Latrines (VIP), 13 boreholes, two Library/computer centres and fencing of one school.
Others projects included provision of 15,660 sets of furniture, 140 mattresses and 840 chairs for early child care development.
He said the board also distributed instructional materials to the schools and trained 7,663 teachers.
In Gombe; the state government says it is partnering with the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to address infrastructure gaps in schools across the state.
Malam Abdulmumini Umar, Director, Planning Research and Statistics (DPRS), Gombe State Ministry of Education, said the partnership would help to improve delivery of quality of education in the state.
He said the state government had constructed and renovated several schools across the state in line with the declaration of state of emergency on education.
Classroom blocks in Gombe
According to him, the commission is constructing classroom blocks in schools across the 11 LGAs, to augument efforts towards providing quality school infrastructure.
He said some 124 accommodation had been provided across 20 schools in the state.
“NEDC has identified one school in each of the 11 LGAs to provide them with furniture, school bags and writing materials.
“It will also construct staff quarters in 20 boarding schools including GSS Gombe, GGC Doma and GGS Kaltungo,” he said.
On his part, Mr Khalifa Lawal, Executive Secretary Education Endowments Fund (EEF) of the commission, said that part of the mandate of the fund was to execute viable projects to address school infrastructure gaps in the region.
He said the Commission is current executing a number of classroom projects and provided instructional materials to schools in the region.
A NAN check in Dutse, the Jigawa capital, indicated that most of the schools in the area are in good condition.
Some of the schools visited included Jaudi, Gadadun, 744 Mobile Base, Yadi, Baure, Madobi, Takur Site, Fagoji, Galamawa, Danmasara and Sakwaya.
NAN reports most of the schools were renovated, new classrooms constructed and equipped with furniture.
Wasilu Umar, Public Relations Officer in the state Ministry of Education, said the state government has establised additional primary and junior secondary schools to decongest the existing ones.
He said the schools were also constructed to ensure conducive learning environment, adding that 80 per cent of the schools in the state had been equipped with furniture.
However, some parents have urged the wealthy individuals and corporate organisations to construct additional classrooms to decongest schools across the state.
Mr Abdulwahab Seed, a parent, said that, “the schools are in good condition, the only problem is congestion. Private sector involvement in the provision of more classrooms will help a lot.
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“The school where my children attend have challenge of congestion with about 70 children per class,”
He said that private sector involvement would go a long to raise standard of education in the region.
