Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has said that his administration has declared free education for every child at the basic level and will ensure that the standard of education at public schools in the state competes with elite private schools anywhere in Nigeria.
The governor, who stated this at the graduation ceremony of El-Amin International School, Abuja, where his son, Marwan Umaru Bago, was graduating, challenged public schools in the state to step up to standard.
He said his administration will support every child in the state to achieve their lofty dreams, stressing that the son of nobody can become somebody with the right investment in education.
The governor disclosed that his government will invest in school infrastructure, learning equipment, and the recruitment of good teachers so that "in the future, just like us, the son of nobody can become somebody", he said.
Hon. Mohammed Umar Bago said it was the dream of every child to aspire to become what they want to be in life and further pledged that his administration will support such lofty dreams irrespective of one's social and economic background.
He expressed admiration for the kind of quality education being offered at the El Amin International School while commending the management and staff for sacrificing everything to raise others to become worthy citizens of Nigeria.
He said he was happy that his son and others were graduating and stepping into another level of education, advising the pupils to work hard and keep their hopes in Nigeria alive, expressing confidence that the country will overcome its challenges.
Marwan Umar Bago, who spoke on behalf of others, thanked their parents for the support and encouragement.
He also expressed the gratitude of the students to the principal of the school, teachers, and management for imparting the necessary knowledge on them.