By Fabian Okoye
January 24 is observed every year to celebrate the role of education for peace and development. It is a day we are reminded of the liberating force of education and its centrality in the progress and development of society.
On this special day, I salute the architect of Modern Sokoto State and champion of the right of every child to free and qualitative education, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. Governor Tambuwal is a modern educational reformer. On assumption of office in 2015, he declared a State of Emergency in Education. The first sign that Governor Tambuwal meant business was the speed with which he forwarded to the State House of Assembly the “Right to Education Bill.” The bill has been passed by the Assembly and assented to by Governor Tambuwal provides for free and compulsory education, to be paid for from public coffers, for all children between ages six and 18. It also criminalises refusal to send children to school, and parents will be liable to criminal prosecution if they stop their children from attending school.
Tambuwal’s Government has been implementing massive infrastructural development in the educational sector. Primary, secondary and tertiary institutions are being massively constructed, renovated or rehabilitated across the state. The area in Sokoto State that had no senior secondary school were the first to experience Governor Tambuwal’s touch of justice, fairness and equity. Government Secondary School, Balle, Gudu Local Government is an architectural masterpiece. It is a secondary school that looks like an Ivy League University. Students of the institution would be taught in English and French. A new Abdullahi Barau Secondary School, Dogondaji is being constructed.
Girls education has been boosted. The government established a Female Education Board to oversee accelerate the development of Girls education, with emphasis on Science education. A couple of Girls Science Academies are nearing completion.
Sokoto State University and Shehu Shagari College of Education (it is in the process of being elevated to a University of Education) are being given priority attention and are on the way to becoming centres of excellence.
The problem of out of school children is being tackled with massive enrollment of children in schools, especially the girl -child. Training and retraining of teachers is ongoing. The Government has consistently since 2015 exceeded the UNESCO benchmark for percentage of annual budget devoted to education.
Sokoto State University is being given priority attention and will in no time become one of Nigeria’s leading universities. Ditto for the Umaru Shinkafi Polytechnic and the Shehu Shagari College of Education, that is in the process of being converted to a University of Education.
Governor Tambuwal is preparing the children of Sokoto State for the future. He wants to position them to be globally competitive. He believes that to advance society and sustain peace, an educated citizenry is imperative. He is succeeding. But challenges remain.
Happy International Day of Education!!!
• Okoye wrote from Sokoto.