The Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), in collaboration with the state Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and the Adolescence Girl Initiative for Learning Empowerment (AGILE), has launched the 2024 school enrolment campaign in Bosso and Paikoro local government areas.
The campaign, led by NSUBEB Chairman Malam Muhammad Baba Ibrahim, included visits to the palaces of the district heads of Maikunkele and Paiko. The team engaged with education stakeholders, including traditional leaders, teachers, school administrators, and parents.
Addressing the stakeholders, Malam Ibrahim emphasised the campaign's goal of reducing the number of out-of-school children in the state. He noted that this annual tradition had not been held for about four years and highlighted its importance in fulfilling the board's mandate.
Malam Ibrahim praised the current administration under Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for its efforts to develop the state through the New Niger Agenda. He stressed that sustainable development hinges on providing quality education to the younger generation.
He also called for synergy among all stakeholders, noting that even the best facilities and teachers would be ineffective if parents did not send their children to school. He urged parents to support their children's education, foreseeing prosperity for the state through the governor's efforts.
Hajiya Maimunat Tahir Ibrahim, the state coordinator of AGILE, highlighted the program's support for girl child education, including the provision of school uniforms, bags, and sandals. She encouraged parents to ensure their daughters complete at least secondary education, emphasising the long-term benefits for families and communities.
Dr. Jonathan Wasa, Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, acknowledged the sector's past neglect but expressed optimism about the current administration's commitment to education. He stressed the need for collective support to ensure the success of these efforts.
District Heads Alhaji Suleiman Abdullahi Dada of Maikunkele and Alhaji Mohammed Mansir Mustapha of Paiko expressed their appreciation for the engagement and pledged their support to advance education in the state.
Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, emphasised the transformative potential of digital technology in providing education to children displaced by banditry and natural disasters. Speaking at the "Digital Literacy for All" event organised by the National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA) at the Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna, the governor highlighted the urgent need for innovative educational solutions.
Governor Bago noted that banditry, flooding, and other security challenges have forced many children out of school, jeopardising their educational aspirations. He proposed the deployment of digital technology platforms to engage these children in learning, offering a novel solution to the educational disruptions caused by banditry.
The governor announced Niger State's commitment to the digital literacy initiative, aiming to ensure that 75 percent of its citizens become digitally literate. He emphasised that farmers, market women, traders, and civil servants would extensively benefit from this initiative.
Governor Bago also urged NITDA to establish an office in Niger State to support farmers who have embraced his agricultural programs. This move would enable them to integrate digital literacy into their farming practices, enhancing their trade.
Earlier, NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi outlined the initiative's goal to equip 70 percent of Nigerians with digital skills, aiming to train 10 million people. He explained that these skills would empower farmers to forecast weather conditions, monitor climate change, access fertilisers and chemicals, market their produce, and communicate with buyers, ultimately boosting their profits and yields.
Abdullahi thanked Governor Bago for facilitating the initiative in Niger State, stressing that digital literacy would significantly transform the lives of its beneficiaries.
The event was attended by notable figures, including the Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Ayodele Olawande Wisdom, and the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Yusha'u Dogara Ahmed. They commended the initiative and encouraged the youth to participate actively.
