Educational Development in Yobe and Fika Old Students Association
By Abba Dukawa
AREWA AGENDA – YOBE state had its own bitter taste of the Boko Haram insurgency, which practically destroyed many schools in the state, immediately on the day Governor Mai Mala Buni took over the affairs of the state, he had unveiled his administration’s commitments towards improving primary and secondary education in the state.
During his inauguration speech on May 29, he declared a state of emergency on primary and secondary education in the state. Its apt to quote him; “I Hereby Declare a State of Emergency on Primary and Secondary Education in the State, to Build a Solid, Vibrant and Robust Foundation for the Development of Education. Government Would as a Matter of Deliberate Policy Continue to Provide the Necessary Support to Move Education in The State to Greater Heights.” Buni asserted.
This state of emergency declaration in Yobe state education is an admission that things are not how it supposed to be. It means that the familiar perception of the problems that confront the state and must be creatively challenged.
To be fair government cannot be completely blame for poor educational facilities; but the communities and Old Students Association has a vital role to play in supporting their alma mater while communities also need to support government efforts in delivery and improvement of education.
Politics aside there is need for Old students association to pay back what the government offered them during the good days instead of alleged politicize lack of decent educational facilities in some schools in the state.
HMB’s administration recorded tremendous achievements greatly in health care delivery, schools, roads and agriculture in spite of the security challenges in Yobe state. Yobe State is home to about a third of Nigeria’s 13.2 million out-of-school children. In order to improve and encourage pupil’s enrolment in schools in the state HMB’s administration partner with the Federal Government for the implementation of the Home Grown Feeding Programme.
The administration has made a significant landmark in revolutionising the educational sector in the state Buni convened the state’s first educational summit to proffer solutions to the sector past track his administration goal in the development of the state education sectors.
Buni’s administration renovated some structures burnt down by the Boko Haram insurgents, established two Model Primary Schools and two Model Junior Secondary Schools in each of the state three senatorial districts to expand access to education by the school age; like it or not his administration has increased school enrolment in the state
Hundreds of schools have so far been rehabilitated, new ones in the local government councils affected by the insurgency and other local government areas of the state have been constructed in line with the state of emergency declared by the administration on education. Also new Model schools were constructed in Damaturu, Gashua, Potiskum, Geidam, Nguru and Buni Yadi in all Buni’s administration effort to provide conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning.
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Thousands teachers have been trained and retrained to enhance manpower requirements of the schools and thousands fresh teachers has been employed despite state with lean financial resources, administration procured and distributed over N1billion text books, laboratory equipment and chemicals. Classroom and office furniture were procured and distributed to schools across the state.
State higher institutions also not left out in spite mountainous challenges facing the state, the administration has greatly support the state owned tertiary institutions to be centres of academic excellence, and also to produce adequate, trained and qualified manpower to serve the state and beyond.
In view of the great loss suffered by the education sector from insurgency, the administration is determined to move the State away from an educationally disadvantaged to an educationally prosperous one. Buni’s administration already partner and seek for special intervention from the Federal Ministry of Education, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TET Fund), International Organizations to support Yobe state government in its commitment to rebuilding education in the State.
In my view, on recent video posted on social media by Fika Government Secondary Old Boy on School facilities; is nothing but looking for cheap popularity. In ideal society an Old Students Association are complementing govenment’s efforts in providing educational facilities in their immediate environment like what people are seeing in the southern part of the country. It should be a good for Fika Old Students Associations to be apartisan not to be critical to government efforts. It would be a great insensitivity for them to blame the state government on decay of school facilities. What support they offered to their Alma Mater in their capacities as Old Boys of Fika? Governor Buni’s administration deserves commendations for his concern on education, especially at this time where the state suffered multiple attacks of Boko Haram that nearly stopped the educational system of the state.
To be fair, Government alone cannot provide educational facilities to all state own schools as there is need for total support of School Based Management Committees (SBMCs) and Old Students Associations in every communities. Fika Old Students Association and their alikes Old Boys forgot even before HMB succession to power in May 29/2019, the insurgents has destroyed many educational facilities in the state making many pupils to abandon schools for their safety. In spite of this challange Governor Buni has displayed his political will toward the educational development across the state.
Undeniably Buni’s administration take proactive steps to rehabilitate and equipped to standard at least one Science Secondary School in each senatorial zone in the State. Community and Old Students Association has a vital role to play in the provision of educational facilities in order to improve education education system not only in Yobe but throughout the country. Peasants, Traditional and Religious Leaders too has a stake in it.
Dukawa can be reached at [email protected].
Arewa Agenda is a Publication of Young writers/journalist from Northern Nigeria towards Peaceful Coexistence and National Development through positive narratives
