By: John Bassey, Gusau.

In line with his administration’s commitment to enhance total revamp of educational system of the state, the Executive Governor of Zamfara state Dr. Dauda Lawal has announced the stoppage of school feeding programme, favouritism, private school farming and hawking as well as other activities within the school premises that militate against purpose of learning in public schools.

The announcement was made on Monday at the conference Hall of the Ministry of Education where working Journalists and social media practitioners within the state were adequately briefed of the recent national and state policies on education which are aimed at enhancing total reform and enforcing dignity in the sector.

Represented by the Supervisory commissioner for the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Honourable Abdulmalik Abubakar Gajam who is also the Commissioner, Ministry of Budget and Planning, the Governor of Zamfara state, Dr Dauda Lawal said, I am pleased to address you today on the significant development in an ongoing efforts of the state government to reposition education sector for a greater efficiency, accountability and improved learning outcomes.

As we all know, this administration has placed education as the center of its development agenda, since inception, the government has mapped out major interventions aimed at improving education, strengthening it’s architecture via enhancement of educators’ quality, promoting school safety and restoring public confidence in government owned educational system.

In furtherance of this objective, the Governor has approved strategic reassignment and redeployment of some heads of education and parastatals In secondary and tertiary institutions under the ministry of education, science and technology.

The reassignment is expected to achieve several objectives including strengthening institutional effectiveness and service delivery, improving accountability and performance management, accelerating Ongoing reforms across education sector, enhancing collaboration among education agencies and institutions, promoting Innovation and fresh ideas as well as ensuring optimal utilization of available human resources, supporting government’ broader vision for education transformation in Zamfara state.

Posting or redeployment should not be done on a man-know-man affairs but should be done on merit considering the years of service and experience invested by teachers on duty.

My achievements in the past three months of service as a supervisory commissioner for the ministry of education science and technology has been to drive systemic reforms, improved educational infrastructure and ensure equitable measures for quality, affordable and accessible education for every child across the 14th LGAs and 147wards of Zamfara state.

We have provided infrastructure and safe-learning environment as well as rural rehabilitation. We have secured approval of rehabilitating 20 public schools and provision of 12 brand new buses to ease transportation to learning facilities across the state.

About out-of-school children intervention, we realized there was a reason of putting data together, so, we have all leadership of education sector making adequate useful suggestions and contributions in order to help the government eradicate the scourge of out-of-school children from the state.

We secured the approval of the state council to train 1000 Teachers for 14days, Teachers in training are expected to take examination and be scored accordingly at the end of the training. The purpose is to build their capabilities to meet with the expectations of the state government.

The state government has also approved the distribution of the current school curriculum which carries the extension of basic school from primary 7 to primary 9. We also introduced additional 14 subjects to enhance vocational and technical studies. We also digitalize the norminal roll.

It is worthy to note that, 19 people been discovered for grade level 16, 25 for level 15 and 588 for level 14 who served the education sector for 30, 29 and 28 years. The Ministry has planned to ensure that they are duely recognized and rewarded.

The commissioner tasked the school Teachers to be serious in their constitutional duties or resign voluntarily because the state government is longing to see the results of their investments in the Teachers of the state.

Currently, Zamfara state has 7000 teaching staff and 4000 supporting staff across all government owned schools within the state.

The commissioner disclosed new policies and directives of the state government to all schools’ heads, Stakeholders and Teachers working in the state as follows, Vacation of Teachers quarters by unauthorized occupants, the aim is never for them to be homeless but for the purpose the quarters were meant for in order to enhance accountability in the part of Teachers employed by the state government.

The ministry gave 30 days timeline for all schools’ heads across the state to enforce compliance and ensure all unauthorized people vacate Teachers quarters or face suspension and possibly removal.

The ministry also announced immediate prohibition of private farming and hawking by school heads and Teachers within the learning premises, directing educators who have interest in farming to do so in their separate farmlands outside the school premises in order not to use the pupils and students as beast of burden to their selfish interests against the purpose of learning that compelled the children from their parents’ homes.

Henceforth, any candidate for the post of a Principal must possess first degree from a recognized institution, attain a management cada position in public service, be on grade level 14, 15 and 16, demonstrate proven leadership qualities, administrative competent, integrity and professional experience within the education sector.

The policy is aimed at certifying that only suitable and qualified educators are entrusted with the responsibilities of managing secondary schools across 14 LGAs of the state.

All head Teachers and Principals shall sign annual performance contract tied to school enrollment, attendance, WAEC/NECO performance, school cleanness, Teacher attendance, school safety and infrastructural maintenance.

The ministry abhors favouritism and man-know-man syndrome across all the public schools as the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal only employs, redeploys and appoints educators on merits for the purpose of revamping educational system of the state.

The ministry gave Senior Secondary Education Board SSEB and State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB one week deadline to ensure transfer 196 and 18 junior secondary schools owned by the state of JSS 1 to JSS 3 to basic education in compliance to the current national educational policy.

The administration of Governor Dauda Lawal remains fair in all aspects and henceforth shall ensure that every school has an equipped classroom, toilet, admin block and well fencing environment with light and portable water to give smooth access to learning, making the environment conducive for both pupils and students as well as the educators.

Zamfara state Government has discontinued school festivals and end of the year parties in public schools, introducing annual school debates, quiz and essay competition as a measure of promoting academic excellence, creativity, innovation, leadership, talents development and healthy inter-school engagement.

The government also rolled out school feeding program, planned to commence the process after making effective policies that would allow efficient management of public funding

The ministry pledged to walk closely with all schools and Stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the policies of the state of government which are aimed at enhancing total transformation of educational system of the state.