Kano State Commissioner for Education, Umar Haruna Doguwa, has described the free education policy of the immediate past administration in the state as fundamentally flawed, thus, not capable of yielding positive outcomes.
âThe fact that many primary and secondary schools in the state lacked furniture, appropriate infrastructure and other resources, as well as a poor boarding schools feeding plan, among other things, indicates that the policy was indisputably defectiveâ, he said.
The Commissioner made the observation during an unscheduled inspection of selected public secondary schools in the state, where he noted for instance, that at G.G.A.S.S Tumfafi, Dawakin Tofa local government area, the students were congested in the classes and seated on bare floors, as nine out of the 16 classes had no furniture at all, while the rest had only a few chairs and desks.
The school, with 1,808 students, has 21 teachers. A block of classrooms, initiated in the school by Tumfafi community was left abandoned, a project which the Commissioner promised to complete, as it would help in decongesting some classes.
At Government Technical College Dambatta, Alh. Umar Doguwa who interacted freely with the students, was sad that for nearly five years, the past administration failed to renovate the collegeâs four destroyed hostels, forcing the 530 students to reside in stuffy conditions in two hostels, which are also begging for reconstruction. The collegesâ rear fence also collapsed a long time ago, making it liable to all forms of insecurity.
He, therefore, requested, IDEAS, a World Bank funded project working to improve infrastructure in science and technical schools in the state, whose project official was present during the visit, to focus on renovating the shattered hostels, then align other projects scheduled for the college with the plans of the state government, to improve teaching and learning.
Alh. Umar Doguwa expressed satisfaction with the zeal exhibited by teachers at the college, pointing out that with the improved school feeding arrangement of the present administration, the students will be encouraged to focus on learning.
The commissioner also visited GGAC, Goron Dutse, a girlsâ secondary school in Kano municipality, where some of the students he interviewed, joyfully told him that their meals have to a great extent improved from what obtains during the past administration, in terms of quantity and quality.
Meanwhile, Alh. Umar Doguwa has praised the Principal of Government Girls College, Dala, Mrs. Nuhu Wali for her good management style and keeping the school environment neat. He was also impressed with the schoolâs feeding arrangement, pointing out that it was gladdening that the students are satisfied with their improved welfare condition, under the present administration.
