Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje had intensified his campaign on free and compulsory education for primary and secondary school children when on Thursday he earmarked N357 million to feed pupils in classes four to six.
He said the move was to complement Federal Government’s primary school feeding programme which is taking care of pupils from classes one to three.
Ganduje who made this known at the official flag-off of the funding component of the Free and Compulsory Basic and Secondary Education in the state held at the Sani Abacha stadium Indoor Sports Hall, also hinted the his free education policy for primary and secondary school children has already taken effect this month.
According to Ganduje, in line with the free and compulsory basic and secondary school education, Kano state government has commenced direct funding of primary and secondary schools numbering 1180 with a total students population of 834, 366 at a total cost of about N200 million per month or N2.4 billion per annum.
He added that, “similarly, government has provided school uniforms to 779, 522 newly enrolled pupils (boys and girls) at the total cost of N381 million.
“In a bid to reduce teaching deficiency in the sector, government is in the process of engaging 3000 volunteer teachers to teach in the various public and Quaranic schools across the state.”
Ganduje also distributed cash to over 110,000 schools across the state designed to enable them build capacity and human resource development.
Also, Ganduje distributed 790 Digital Classroom All Inclusive Empowerment Solution and Tablets to 728 teachers, 39 Master Teachers, nine Senior Secondly School Officers and 14 Principal Officers.
According to him, the programme was aimed at capacity building towards free and compulsory education on School Development Plan (SDP) and ICT appreciation for directors and zonal education directors.
Among dignitaries who attended the occasion include the Emirs of Bichi, Rano, Gaya and Karaye, including government officials and secondary school principals across the state.
