Since the inception of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, CFR; Dallatun Katsina,, Mutawallen Hausa, administration, he pledged that “Education, Agriculture, Water Supply, Health and Youth Empowerment shall be given priority attention by the Administration”.
However, the administration inherited a State rated as one of the poorest economically, and also one of the most educationally backward. Despite the fact that the administration was faced with the challenge of paucity of funds, still the administration is determined to succeed and turn the fortunes of the state for
the better. The provision of qualitative Education is one of the cardinal objectives of the Masari administration, the administration did numerous interventions in this sector, especially at the primary, and secondary school levels. These interventions cover the areas of infrastructural development, the administration embarked on renovation and construction of new classrooms across the state.
Thirty-Nine (39) Secondary Schools across the three senatorial zones in the state have complete rehabilitation and upgrading. The total sum of N4,958,772,772.61 was expended for the projects.
*Similarly, fifty-five (55) number secondary schools were rehabilitated and renovated as a result of storm damage and dilapidation of some structures. The total sum of N1,341,502,095.46 was expended.
*With the view to improve security all the boarding Secondary Schools have been renovated and reinforced to the tune of N546,841,346.07 *Seven (7) new Secondary Schools were constructed across the state to the tune of N1,094,324,466.51. They are located at Kaita, Musawa (2), Kasanki, Faskari, Kadisau and Gora-Yam’mama.
*One Hundred and Thirty-Five (135) new offices were constructed and Five Hundred and Thirty-Two (532) were fully rehabilitated and made functional. A total of Nine Hundred and Thirty-Two (932) toilets were also constructed in primary schools across the state.
*There are Eighteen (18) Science and Technical Vocational Schools in Katsina State, thirteen
(13) were completely rehabilitated and upgraded at the cost of Three Billion (N3 Billion) Naira.
PROVISION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
- Teaching learning resources, laboratories equipment, books, computers, special education equipment and materials were provided across the schools under the Ministry of Education in the state. A total sum of N2,053,442,177.80 was utilized for the procurement of such materials.
FURNITURE- Thirty Thousand Four Hundred and Forty-Eight (30,448) three-seater secondary school students’ furniture were procured and distributed to the tune of N561,376,000.00
STUDENTS WELFARE
From 2015 to 2021 a total of 475,988 sat for SSCE Examinations (WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, NBAIS) out of which 354,610 obtained 5 credits and above in any subject (74.49%) and 227,620, scored 5 credits in Mathematics and English inclusive, that is 63%.
During the previous administration from 2007-2014 only 79,044 candidates obtained 5 credits in any subject in a total of 417,576 students that sat for SSCE examinations. That was only 19 students out of 100 obtained 5 credits.- Payment of examination fees for 2015-2020 SSCE examination N3,436,885,796.50 School running cost N1,124,950,778.00Boarding School feeding N4,165,755,647.00
- The introduction of a new cash transfer program for out of school children and Almajiri in the state, in collaboration with UNICEF and Qatar Foundation tagged “Educate a Child Cash Transfer Program” through Female Caregivers.
The aim of the program was to reduce the number of out of school children and increase enrolment into public schools across the state. About Three Hundred and Thirty-Three million (N333 million) Naira is expected to be disbursed to Twenty Thousand Eight Hundred and Two (20,802) beneficiaries of the program in the state. The number will include Eleven
Thousand (11,000) males and Eight Thousand (8,000) females in addition to Five Thousand Five Hundred and Fifty-One (5,551) Almajiri in the state.
The state government have also embarked on construction of One hundred and Fifty (150)
additional new Secondary Schools across the state. This will include Ninety (90) Junior and Sixty (60) Senior Secondary Schools. The school projects would be carried out under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE). This program is a collaboration between the State Government and the World Bank.
The aim of this program is to ensure access to education and retention of students to complete secondary school. The government is also taking measures to address low transition among students through establishing Pilot Junior Secondary Schools in Sixty-Eight (68) primary schools across the state. The aim of the government is to reduce the stress faced by some students who have to cover long distance to attend schools, and this will therefore reduce the chances of premature dropping out of school among students. The administration also placed the welfare of workers as one of its priorities, the administration inherited a stagnated workforce in the educational sector as some teachers were not promoted for a period of upwards to 10 years, in view of this, the government has now promoted One Thousand, One Hundred (1100) primary and secondary school’s teachers since its inception. All the Girls’ Secondary Schools in the state have now been converted to boarding. The government also recruited over Two Thousand (2000) new teachers for primary and secondary schools, and another set of 5000 more are on the process of being recruited under the State S-Power Program.
The Masari administration intervention in the education sector led to the improvement of
students’ academic performance in senior secondary school examinations significantly from 18% before the administration came on board to 74.49% now. The outstanding performance could be attributed to prompt payment of teachers’ salaries, welfare
packages, promotions, infrastructural development, and provision of instructional materials to mention but a few.
All the primary and secondary School teachers have been engaged in one capacity building or the other organized by Katsina State government in collaboration with other agencies such as National Content Development and Monitoring Board, PLBC Club, USAID, DFID and UNICEF.
STATE UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION BOARD
The State Universal Basic Education Board witnessed a lot of projects with the UBE’s State Special Interventions fund from 2015-2018. A total of 1,308 new classrooms were constructed and 1,309 rehabilitated, totaling to 2,717 classrooms. In addition, eight (8) story buildings were upgraded. Eighty-Four (84) boreholes were drilled, 376 offices and 376 stores were as well constructed in the primary schools across the state. A total of Thirteen
Billion, Forty-Three Million, Five Hundred and Seventeen Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fifty-Six Naira, Sixty-Seven Kobo (N13,043,517,756,.67) was used for the provision of such infrastructure in term of classrooms, toilets, and stores. These developmental projects really yielded better results in the sector.- A total of 1,108 toilets were constructed across the primary schools in the state.
- The sum of One Billion, Eight Hundred and Sixty-Seven Thousand, Four Hundred and Forty-
Five Naira (N1,867,445.00) was spent to provide 93,291 three-seater tables and benches in addition to the ones provided in the construction of new classrooms. - In the last 6 six years the State Universal Basis Education Board spend a total sum of Two
Billion, One Hundred and Fifty-Three Million, One Hundred and Twelve Thousand, One Hundred and Fourteen Naira, Ninety-Five Kobo (N2,153,112,114,.95) for the procurement of instructional materials.
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
From the year 2015 to date, the administration spent a total sum of Seven Billion and Thirty-Two million (N7.32) Naira in the provision of infrastructure and services to the four-state owned Tertiary Institutions, as well as providing scholarship to Katsina State indigenes studying in various higher institution of learning in the country.
The Masari administration is committed to developing the education sector through the implementation of programs and projects in partnership with development partners from within and outside the country. In the area of provision of adequate teachers in the state, the administration is in the process of converting substantial number of teachers on
S-Power program to permanent and pensionable appointment to teach at the proposed new secondary schools.
Office of the Director-General,
New Media to Katsina State Governor.
28th July, 2022
