By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has coordinated and supervised the registration and enrollment of over 10,000 out of school IDPs children, drop outs and orphans in Monguno town, in a bid to rid the twin from street urchins, miscreants and enhance educational pursuits.
NATIONAL ACCORD reports that the IDPs children have been in various designated camps and host communities in Monguno town for some years with about 15,000 children from the 4 LGAs of Borno North, who now profiled and enrolled into primary and secondary schools.
The registration exercise which is part of Governor Zulum’s 10 point agenda, was coordinated by the governor all through Sunday to Monday, August 29.
Governor Zulum in an interview with journalists in Monguno said: “following the displacement of the people by the insurgency and as part of his 10 point agenda, his government has decided to embark on massive registration and enrollment of thousands of the IDPs children who are mostly drop outs or school age children and have not entered school purposely to tackle the menace of Insecurity and unemployment among other social vices.
He further said with the efforts of federal and state to restore peace in the state and subsequent gradual peace being enjoyed, he has built schools for both both western and eastern education to address issues of illiteracy which will allow meaningful developments and stabilization of socio economic and political activities in the state.
He said: “This is why Islamic schools were built in all the three Senatorial Districts while more will be built and state government has given Monguno town attention as part of post insurgency rebuilding strategy. We will ensure continuity in developmental projects across the state to cushion the effects of the insurgency.
He added that all the schools will be digitalized and provided with modern technology facilities to cater for those who want eastern education exercise which was carried out by the Borno State Education Trust Fund (BSETFund).
The governor noted that the Fund had a target of 7,000 children last year when the exercise was kick started by a high powered state committee on enrollment of out of school and school age Children registration into primary and secondary schools from Monguno, Marte, Guzamala and Kukawa LGAs.
The governor while addressing the people, appealed to parents and guardians to send their subjects to school to enable them acquire education as future leaders of the country, citing example with himself that, he also went to school before becoming a governor, where his parents sent him to school to acquire both western and eastern education which is important.
He assured the people that his government will do everything possible to provide quality and standard education to all and sundry irrespective of status of the children in the society.
Zulum further said the state government has increased the numbers of schools to accomodate drop outs and out of school children roaming the streets which emanated as a result of the insurgency that displaced the people from their ancestral homes before the emerging peace and return of IDPs to their communities.
While supervising and coordinating the children’s registration and enrollment, Zulum urged parents and guardians to be calm and be cooperative and he assured them that all school age children will be captured, profiled and enrolled into schools even if it will warrant some children being sent to schools in Maiduguri city to for their education..
The governor also inspected some completed and on going projects including the completed construction works at Monguno High Islamic School, Federal Polytechnic Monguno and farmlands at the outskirts of Monguno town as wel interacted with the farmers that were returning from their farms and later inspected the new Guest House building renovated. by the State Ministry of RRR for staff of Federal Polytechnic Monguno.
He further inspected the new Governor’s Zonal Office Monguno under construction that will also accommodate at least 12 Directorate Offices for the State Ministries of Education, Health, RRR, Agriculture and other Line Directorates/Agencies.
The governor was accompanied and supported in the exercise by some top Government officials, national and State Assembly members.
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