Masari begins the distribution of an N4.9 billion grant to 188 schools. Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari has launched the distribution ...
Masari begins the distribution of an N4.9 billion grant to 188 schools.
Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari has launched the distribution of an N4.906 billion grant to 188 secondary schools across the state's 34 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The governor said during his remarks at the event on Tuesday in Abukur, Rimi LGA, that each of the schools would receive N26.1 million grants to help vulnerable students.
He explained that the grant came from the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program and was obtained through the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project.
"Since the inception of this administration in 2015, education has been prioritized by the state government," Masari said.
"This was due to the fact that the future of the state in particular, and that of the nation in general are determined by the level of education of the citizens.
"In this regard, we will continue to provide an enabling environment for effective teaching and learning across the state's elementary, secondary, and tertiary institutions."
According to the governor, his administration is creating an environment that encourages the enrolment of children who are old enough to attend school in order to guarantee that every resident of the state is given an equal chance.
The state government also built more schools, hired more skilled teachers, and supplied sufficient learning and teaching resources.
"It also ensured prompt wage payments and timely personnel promotions at the appropriate times. In order to guarantee good results for all kids and pupils, several procedures were established.
"We have also improved the instructors' working circumstances."
stated Masari.
The AGILE initiative was one of many in the state that his administration had supported in cooperation with foreign development partners like the World Bank, he continued.
The project, specifically for adolescent females, was created to bridge the gap between the end of elementary school education and the transition to secondary education, according to Governor Masari.
Less than 50% of primary school graduates who wanted to attend secondary schools, he continued, "transferred to secondary schools when our administration assumed the reins of power in 2015.
"Yet, access to secondary schools has improved with the opening of 68 number of prototype secondary schools throughout the state.
100% of primary school graduates automatically transferred to junior secondary schools (JSS), which are located right next door to their old institutions.
"The state government distributed the School Improvement Grant (SIG) to all 578 secondary schools in the state under the AGILE programme.
This was done in various amounts depending on their size and other factors including student enrollment.
Masari claimed that, among other things, the SIG grant's release resulted in the renovation of numerous restrooms and classrooms as well as the reticulation of water points to guarantee kids have access to clean water.
Almost 37,758 vulnerable households benefited from the CCT programme in the state, according to Alhaji Mustapha Shehu, the coordinator of the AGILE project in the state.
He claimed that the Poverty and Micro Economic Quintile, completed as part of the initiative in 2021, helped identify the recipients throughout the state.
In accordance with the three parts of the project, which begin with building and refurbishment, he continued, one of the requirements for the state to build 150 new secondary schools was the hiring of 2,000 teachers in less than two years.
"Yet, the public will be interested to learn that Masari had already hired 1,237 instructors, while the requirement for this year is 1,000.
"The state had advanced to the point that 50% of the schools could be built." Shehu revealed.
He said that in the month of March, 98 percent of the requirements for the schools' construction had been met.
Masari would soon be invited to officially kick off the construction of 75 new secondary schools, he said.
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