The only local government area in Nigeria without a secondary school is about to get one, thanks to Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State.
Gudu LGA in Sokoto State has suffered the misfortune of having some of the worst statistics in education in the world. Apart from having the ignominy of not having a senior secondary school to cater for its estimated 120,000 residents, a 2013 survey showed that out of 1890 students in Junior Secondary Schools in the LGA, only one of them is a female.
All that is about to change however, because at the weekend, Sokoto State Executive Council gave approval for the establishment of a model boarding secondary school in Balle, the headquarters of the local government area.
Announcing the Council’s decision in Sokoto, the state commissioner of information, Abdulkadir Jeli Abubakar, said the sum of N1 billion has been earmarked for the project, and already, 30% mobilisation fee has been approved for the contractor to begin construction work.
It would be recalled that 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. 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 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 added.
The project is expected to be completed in six months.
