By AUSTINE TSENZUGHUL, Bauchi –
Worried by the fallen standard of education in the state, Bauchi government has put together a two-day summit to re-jig its education sector.
The summit has the themed, “Nurturing a Flourishing Future, Improving Access
and Quality Education in Bauchi state”,
In keynote address, the governor Bala Mohammed noted that” it is our moral and constitutional duty to ensure that every child in Bauchi state has access to quality education”.
Below is the full text of the governor’s remarks
The title of our summit encapsulates a dual focus: ensure elevating its quality. Bauchi State’s rich cultural heritage must be channeled to nurture a generation equipped with the skills, knowledge, and resilience required for the challenges of the 21st century.
4. Our discussions will delve into the multifaceted dimensions of education in Bauchi State, exploring avenues to improve infrastructure, enhance teacher training, embrace technology, and address socio-economic factors hindering access to education. The Bauchi State Education Summit stands as a call to action, to break the cycle of any educational disadvantages we are facing. The urgency of this endeavour cannot be overstated.
5. Before I go any further, I consider it appropriate to state remind all of us that the challenges facing Nigeria’s educational sector are intricate and pervasive, extending beyond the borders of Bauchi State. Recognizing this, our commitment to overcoming these obstacles led us to establish the Ministry of Higher Education and Regional Coordination. This visionary move aims to elevate education across all levels—primary, secondary, and tertiary—to the status of a top priority.
6. Our newly formed ministry is tasked not only with addressing local issues but also with ensuring alignment between Bauchi State’s policies and programs and those of our sister states in the North East. I am pleased to share that, under the adept leadership of Governor Babagana Umaru Zulum of Borno State, the North East Governors Forum is actively fostering regional collaboration. This involves peer review mechanisms, shared learning, and leveraging resources from the Federal Government, including those provided through the North East Development Commission and the Federal Ministry of Education and its associated agencies. The North East Governors Forum has created a platform for Commissioners of Education in the region to collaborate, synergize and approach reforms from a regional perspective. The Committee is chaired by the Commissioner of Education, Bauchi State.
7. Central to our administration’s vision is the restoration of the prestige and glory of public education. We aspire to holistically address the challenges, cultivating a workforce equipped to bridge human resource gaps in health, agriculture, education, construction, ICT, and the modern economy, not just within Bauchi State but across Nigeria and beyond. Our ultimate aim is to construct a knowledge-based economy, turning the demographic challenge of unemployed youth into an asset by imparting the necessary knowledge, skills, and values required in the globalized economy. With that underscored, let me give a brief run down of the objectives of this summit.
Objectives
8. The Bauchi State Education Summit centre’s on effectively addressing the issues unique to our state. Our objectives are as follows:
a. Assessment and analysis: To conduct a comprehensive assessment of the state of education in Bauchi, including the number of out-of-school children, their demographics, and the impact on education due to various challenges.
b.Stakeholder Engagement: To convene all stakeholders, government officials, educators, parents, civil society organizations, and development partners to collaboratively address the state’s education challenges.
c. Policy Formulation: To develop evidence-based programs policies and strategies towards addressing the challenges and strengthening our capacities and existing efforts.
d. Resource Mobilization: To explore avenues for mobilizing financial and human resources to support educational programs and projects within the state.
e. Innovative Educational Infrastructure: To devise innovative strategies for creating conducive learning environments, including repairing and revitalizing schools.
f. Community Engagement: To actively involve all stakeholders, local and external by increasing awareness and mobilizing their support in our efforts to enhance the education sector in Bauchi state.
g. Targeted Interventions: To develop, discuss, and implement specific interventions and initiatives tailored to address Bauchi State’s unique education challenges.
BACKGROUND (Bauchi Context)
9. Bauchi State had committed to improving the wellbeing of its citizens and accelerating the socio-economic development of the State through the provision of quality education for its children and youth that would enable them to be effective individuals and leaders of tomorrow.
10. In common with all 36 states that comprise the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the education system in Bauchi State follows the 1-9-3-4 system of education consisting of one-year of pre-primary education, nine-years of basic education (six years of primary and 3 years of junior secondary), followed by three years of senior secondary school and four years of tertiary education. The nine years of basic education are free and compulsory for all children in the relevant age group.
11. Financing for education comes from all three levels of the government – federal, state, and local – and out of-pocket expenditures by household and other agencies in the private sector. The financing for the government is determined by the federal allocations, the state budgets, and the state and local revenues and of course, our very generous development partners to whom we remain very grateful.
12. Also, our system of education like all others includes both the formal and non-formal. It must be noted that the state government contributes to formal and non-formal education at all levels of education.
Some key milestones
13. Our commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and progressive educational system has been unwavering, and I am pleased to highlight some key milestones. Through collaboration, innovation, and a collective vision, we aim to lay the groundwork for an educational system that while meeting today’s needs is capable of anticipating tomorrow’s demands. Bauchi State’s progress is intricately linked to its ability to provide all children, with quality education, irrespective of their circumstances.
14. I am proud to announce a progressive increase in budgetary allocation to education since the beginning of my first administration. In the fiscal year 2023, we have allocated approximately 16% of the total budget to education — a record high in recent years. This significant investment underscores our firm belief that a well-funded education sector is crucial for the overall development of our state.
15. Acknowledging the financial burden on students and parents, we have eliminated cumbersome fees and charges in all our schools at all levels. We have also taken off payment of external examinations (NECO, WEAC and JAMB) off our students at the secondary school levels as well as prioritize payment of scholarships and bursaries to students in the tertiary institutions. Specifically, more than 1 billion naira has been paid for NECO, WEAC and JAMB exams for our students while about 1.2 billion naira has been paid for scholarships and other students bursaries at the higher education level over the years. We believe that supporting our students financially is not just an investment in their future but an investment in the future of Bauchi State.
16. Our commitment to ensuring quality education also extends to the accreditation of courses in tertiary institutions. In fulfilling the regulatory requirements, we have been driven by two interrelated factors: first is the desire to ensure that all those who pass through our educational institutions, from both within and outside the state, are well grounded in the knowledge and skills, to lead meaningful socioeconomic lives thereafter. Secondly, we want to insulate products of our higher institutions from prejudices that could jeopardize their ability to compete in the global labour market. Hence, tertiary institutions such as COE Azare, College of Legal Studies Misau, COE Kangere, and the School of Nursing have received accreditation, bolstering the credibility and standards of education in our state. Additionally, we have established the College of Education Dass, expanding opportunities for quality education.
17. Let me state that, in our pursuit of excellence, the pivotal role we envision our tertiary institutions to play goes beyond producing employable graduates but also includes nurturing individuals capable of becoming job creators through startups and entrepreneurship. Opportunities abound in agriculture, manufacturing, ICT, and various sectors. We adopt the attitude that every challenge we face today is a potential avenue for creative minds to generate employment, create wealth, and address societal issues.
18. To further ensure excellence and expand our educational resources for everyone, and solidify our commitment to advancing education, we have, in collaboration with the Federal Government through the Ministry of Education and related MDA’s as well as development banks, ensured the establishment of the Federal College of Education Jamaare, University of Medical Sciences Azare, Federal Science Technical College Misau, Second Chance Education Centre, Government Day Technical Colleges Azare, Bauchi and Ningi, SMART school Bauchi and many other similar projects which are already in use across the state. We provided temporary sites and grants for the take-off of these institutions, and lands for permanent sites.
19. Chairman Sir, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, our resolve to benchmark global best practice remains immutable. Hence, our determination is not to be left behind in the engaging digitization conversation that has become the dominant issue in 2023. In that regard, we are working to usher our learners and educators into the era of digital learning and the utilization of complex digital tools for easy education. That said, we have repositioned the Ministry of Education to meet the challenges of the 21st Century through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This includes basic online access to exam results, admissions, scholarships, and other essential services, fostering transparency and equitable access to information. We have also deployed technology to ensure efficiency and effective management in our systems of operation. From monitoring staff punctuality and quality of delivery to conducting large-scale operations such examinations and the Annual Schools Census, as well as setting up of Bauchi State Quality Assurance Dashboard (BAQAS) to ensure effective school and teacher management. Put succinctly, we are taking bold strides through digital applications.
20. While we are still miles away from the performance target we have set for ourselves, I wish to report that the various initiatives for quality improvement outlined above, have also impacted positively on the performance of our public schools in WAEC and NECO exams as well as admission into higher institutions. Our students have consistently demonstrated improvement, at the WAEC and NECO examinations, with those scoring five credits and above rising from 29% in 2018 to an impressive 71% in 2023 for WAEC, and from 63% in 2018 to 83% in 2023 for NECO.
21. We know that corruption is the bane of our society today. To combat corrupt practices that have long hindered educational progress, we have implemented modern tools such as the cashless policy and online transfers for all education related payments. This is to reduce cash exchanges that may lead to theft or misappropriation of funds. In addition, this not only ensures the efficiency of financial transactions but also allows for the prompt punishment of individuals engaged in malpractice.
22. We believe in partnerships for progress. In collaboration with the Federal Government, TETFund, World Bank projects like BESDA, SEPIP and others, we are actively working to improve existing structures and construct new ones in our schools, to provide students with modern facilities that promote innovation and creativity across all levels of education. This is evident in the general rehabilitation and additional provision of school facilities, which including rehabilitation of thousands (more than 2670) blocks of 2 and 3 classrooms & construction of hundreds (more than 300) new blocks of 2 and 3 classrooms, classrooms with additional provision of school facilities such as twin desks, boarding and instructional materials, WASH facilities, safeguards, laboratories and lecture halls. Chairman Sir, our infrastructure regeneration effort has been extended to include the construction and reconstruction of roads in some of our higher institutions as exemplified by the ongoing work at the Sa’adu Zungur University. We also continue to provide essential materials to schools at all levels, ensuring that our students have the resources they need to excel.
23. Furthermore, we have also placed staff motivation on the front-burner of our policy recalibration. So far, our commitment to the professional development of educators is evident in the upgrading of over 300 principals and vice-principals and the promotion of over 3,000 teachers. We have also granted approval for the recruitment of additional 3000 teachers for the basic and post-basic schools with a view to strengthening the foundation of teaching and learning. This effort extends to the State higher institutions where we recruited more than 1000 academic and non-academic staff. We have a clear belief and understanding that a well-trained and motivated teaching force is indispensable to achieving our educational goals.
24. Bauchi is also big on inclusivity for everyone everywhere, with no one left behind. In our pursuit of maximum inclusivity, we have introduced Nomadic Vacation Course to improve access to education for over 6,000 nomadic children. We have also paid utmost attention to the mainstreaming of Almajiri children into the formal system of education through the engagement of 5000 facilitators, and the management of four (4) Tsangaya schools by SUBEB and the Ministry of Education in a collaborative effort with BESDA and UNICEF.
25. Chairman Sir, no discussion of the effect of our inclusion policy will be complete without reporting that we have so far reduced the number of Out-Of-School Children in the state from a staggering 2.3 million to 700,000. We note this with joy, not for the optics arising from the politicization of the out-of-school problem, but as a way of acknowledging that where there is a will, most likely, there will always be a way. Of greater importance is the shared relief that Government is living up to its sacred mandate to ensure that the future we build today is founded on the premise of equity, justice and fairness. Without these philosophical underpinnings, governance becomes a mere mechanical construct and the society, a soulless patch work of opportunists favoured and excluded individuals always working at cross purposes. In other words, access to education should define our humanity and the future we envision. As the saying goes, the future starts today.
26. As we celebrate these modest gains, let us not forget that it is the outcome of the wholesale commitment of various stakeholder groups in and out of Bauchi. It is for this reason that I would like to mention the great work that the Bauchi State Education Committee under the leadership of His Royal Highness, the Emir of Bauchi, Dr. Rilwanu Sulaiman Adamu has been doing since its inauguration. Without sounding immodest, I wish to pledge that we will still do more until no child of school age is denied access to education, until no family is subjected to the psychological trauma of watching their children drift aimlessly, until no child suffers the indignity of being exploited by adults who, rather than pull them up from the depths of despair would exploit their unfortunate circumstances. In this, and our other noble goals, we place our confidence in the unfailing love of Allah, the Most Beneficent, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate before whom all of us are equal. In this, I trust that you will all come along with me.
27. It is for the same reason that, over the years we have paid special emphasis to vulnerable children and those with special needs through our special programs and schools like the Bauchi State Vulnerable and Orphans Center and Bauchi State Special Education Centre.
28. The introduction of single-gender schools and upgrading of our adult and non-formal centers to pave way for second chance education have proven effective in ensuring equitable access, combating delinquency, enhancing academic performance, and restoring confidence in public education among parents in our state.
29. Mr. Chairman, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I have released the above checklist of our initiatives not to convey the impression that we have achieved all that there is to achieve but to demonstrate the indomitable human spirit to revive the educational sector in the state. It is also my way of paying tribute to the patriotic effort of our education sector stakeholders whose unwavering commitment has led to the modest successes we have recorded. Yet, there is still a lot to be done.
30. Thus, although we have outlined the strategic steps, we have taken, to propel our educational system forward, it is imperative to cast our vision towards the long run, with a stronger commitment to further address the challenges that persist despite our effort, with the perennial out of school children topping the list. In the light of this issues and the wealth of data supporting the urgent need for action, I have proposed a transformative initiative designed to tackle the issue of Out-of-School Children (OOSC) and enhance access to quality education in the state through the establishment of at least ten (10) mega schools and three (3) Mega Tsangaya Centers across the State. Partnerships with donor organizations and civil societies will be sought to ensure effective management. Each center/school would include not less than 30 classrooms, vocational workshops/laboratories, WASH and recreational facilities, clinics and hostels, staff offices, and staff quarters.
31.As we embark on this ambitious venture, let us reaffirm our commitment to providing quality education for all, breaking down barriers that hinder access, and creating a future where every child in Bauchi State can thrive and contribute to the development of our great state. And we are open to partnerships from you, the stakeholders.
32.Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, Bauchi State, under our leadership, welcomes collaboration and partnership. We extend our hand to individuals, the private sector, donors, multilateral agencies, NGOs, religious and traditional leaders, academic and research institutions, and all relevant stakeholders. Together, let us embark on a collective journey to reposition and revitalize the educational sector, contributing to the development of a prosperous and knowledgeable society.
33.Mr. Chairman, may I crave your indulgence to leave a special word for my compatriots from Bauchi State. To them, I would like to say, that this is a great moment, a veritable turning point in the annals of education in Bauchi State. Let us embrace this opportunity with gratitude to Allah who has graciously bestowed on us the privilege of being leaders, in the complete knowledge that, in the fullness of time, we shall all be accountable to him, for what we did with so great a privilege.
34.I am grateful to everyone involved in organizing this summit and the resource to contribute to the road map for a better Bauchi state Education sector. Let us embark on this journey together, with the shared belief that education is not just a means to an end but a lifelong voyage towards enlightenment and empowerment.
35.Thank you and I eagerly anticipate the fruitful deliberations ahead.
36.Mr. Chairman, Your Excellencies, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is now my distinct honour and privilege to declare the Bauchi State education summit 2023 open.
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