By Aminu Mohammed in Sokoto
The only local government area in Nigeria without a secondary school has just got one, thanks to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State.
According to a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Imam Imam, Gudu Local Government Area in Sokoto State had suffered the misfortune of having some of the worst statistics in education in the world.
Apart from suffering the ignominy of not having a senior secondary school to cater for its estimated 120,000 residents, a 2013 survey showed that out of the 1,890 students in Junior Secondary Schools in the council, only one of them was female.
“But all that is about to change, because at the weekend, the Sokoto State Executive Council gave approval for the establishment of a model boarding secondary school in Balle, the headquarters of the local government area,” said the statement.
Announcing the council’s decision in Sokoto, the state Commissioner for Information, Abdulkadir Jeli Abubakar, said N1 billion had been earmarked for the new school, among others scheduled for rehabilitation, and already 30 per cent mobilisation fee had been approved for the contractor to begin construction work.
During the last Democracy Day celebration, Tambuwal had announced that a new boarding secondary school would be established in Balle.
“Government is determined to establish a new secondary school in Balle, an initiative which is considered laudable by all stakeholders, in view of the poor state of education in Gudu Local Government Area.
“The fact is that despite concerted efforts by successive governments, the level of educational development in Gudu has consistently remained lowest in the state.
“So the establishment of a boarding school in the area will invariably improve enrolment, retention and transition of pupils from primary to secondary schools in the local government and its neighbours, such as Tangaza and Illela,” the governor had said.
The project is expected to be completed in six months.
According to the commissioner, the sum of N241 million had been approved by the council for the total renovation of GSS Tureta, while the renovation of GGSS Illela, whose approval was given by the council, would cost approximately N167 million.
“Similarly, the council has approved the sum of over N304 million for the complete renovation of Gamji Girls College, Rabah, and rehabilitation of Sabon Birni Bridge at the cost of over N194 million,” he added.
