November 19, (THEWILL) – Stakeholders in Kano have called on the State Government to urgently address the challenges facing the education sector to ensure the success of the State of Emergency declared in the sector.
The Kano State Government had declared a state of emergency to tackle the declining state of education and restore it to a path of sustainable development.
However, stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and students, have pointed out critical issues hindering progress, such as inadequate furniture, teaching and learning materials, poor sanitation facilities, and a shortage of classrooms and teaching staff in primary and secondary schools.
The stakeholders made their concerns known during a tour by the media to assess projects executed by the State Ministry of Education under the ongoing emergency measures.
One of the vocal advocates, Habibu Ahmed Sani, Headmaster of Hotoro South Special Primary School in Nasarawa Local Government Area, lamented the lack of basic infrastructure at the school.
He called for a complete renovation to improve the learning environment, as well as furniture for the 1,432 pupils, many of whom are forced to sit on bare floors due to the absence of desks and chairs.
Sani said, “As you can see, most of the classrooms here lack desks and chairs, which means the children are receiving lessons on the bare floor. I appeal to the government to provide adequate furniture under the ongoing State of Emergency to make the learning experience more comfortable for the students.”
In addition, Sani urged the government to deploy more teachers to the school, noting that the current teacher-pupil ratio of two classrooms per teacher is unsustainable.
Similarly, the Headmaster of Sabon Layi Primary School in Bichi Local Government Area, Malam Baduku, decried the lack of essential facilities, including furniture, toilets, and a sufficient number of teachers.
Baduku revealed that the school, with 1,764 pupils, has only 39 teachers, leading to a situation where one teacher is responsible for multiple classrooms.
He said, “The school has only four toilets shared between teachers and students. This situation is exacerbated by the severe shortage of teaching staff. I appeal to the State Government to address these challenges for the successful implementation of the State of Emergency in education.”
However, Sabi’u Idris, Headmaster of Dawakin Tofa Modern Primary School in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, commended the state government for providing much-needed furniture, teaching materials, and toilet facilities.
However, Idris pointed out the lack of security, with the school’s 1,212 students and 32 teachers exposed to theft, as the school lacks a perimeter fence and security guards.
Idris said, “While we appreciate the government’s intervention, the lack of security has made our school vulnerable to thieves. Our valuables are being stolen, and the safety of the students is compromised.”
Parents of pupils in Sabon Layi Primary School, Latifatu Jibrin Bichi and Abdulrahman Idris, also expressed gratitude for the government’s efforts but emphasised the need for more resources.
They called for the provision of uniforms, furniture, instructional materials, additional teachers, and better toilet facilities to improve the learning environment.
Bichi said, “Due to the lack of furniture, our children have to sit on mats, which makes the learning environment unconducive. We urge the government to provide better facilities for our children.”
Meanwhile, Usman Haladu, a student at Government Junior Secondary School in Dawakin Tofa, called on the government to construct additional toilet facilities and provide more teachers.
He noted that while the school has adequate furniture and instructional materials, the lack of sufficient toilet facilities – with only one toilet for female students – remains a significant challenge.
“The school has one toilet for the female students, which is inadequate. We need more facilities to cater to the growing number of students,” Haladu said.
Abdullahi Yusuf is a seasoned journalist, communicator and was previously the Deputy Editor-In-Chief and Zonal Manager, News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Jos, where he retired on December 15, 2021
