By Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
As part of its Education Revitalization Programme, the Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative(PCNI) has presented Educational and Instructional materials to about 67,500 pupils /students and 6,750 teachers in schools across the states in the North East.
THISDAY checks revealed that in Bauchi state alone, about 7,500 pupils /students and 750 teachers were to benefit from the programme aimed at supporting learning and teaching in the state.
The chairperson, Education Sub -Committee of PCNI, Professor Hauwa Biu, disclosed this during the Launch and Presentation of Educational Support Materials to primary and secondary schools in Bauchi state by the committee held at Zaranda Hotel, Bauchi last week.
Professor Biu said the launch of the educational support items was part of the PCNI project aimed to overcome the challenges that near absence of quality learning and Instructional materials poses to the educational attainment of the shildren in the state.
The chairperson also explained that the purpose of the intervention is not only to reverse the negative performance of the education sub – sector in the North East sub-region before the insurgency, but to also invest in future of the Children, describing education as the key to the complete recovery of the North East.
According to her, Learning and Instructional materials are also an important requirements for the revitalization of Education, pointing out that PCNI is open to suggestions and partnerships that will assist in fast tracking these interventions.
She however lamented that “2,295 teachers had been killed and 19,000 others displaced in Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa states in the last nine years while an estimated 1,500 schools had been destroyed since 2014, with over 1,280 casualties among teachers and students.
While acknowledging the efforts of stakeholders in rebuilding education in the North East and facilitating access, she particularly appealed to the government of the North Eastern states, Donors and Government of friendly countries in revitalizing the education sector.
She however revealed that under the PCNI education revitalization programme, the PCNI has trained over 3,000 primary school teachers in the North East to boost teachers’ capacity in Pedagogy, Safety and trauma counselling skills, maintaining that preparations are under way to train secondary school teachers as well , stressing that under the project about 67,500 pupils and 6,750 teachers are to be supported across the North Eastern states.
In a goodwill message at the occasion, the State Commissioner for Education, represented by the Director, School Services, Ministry of Education, Hajiya Talatu Ahmad, acknowledged the efforts of the PCNI in reversing all the negative indices associated with education in the northeast.
While highlighting the various achievements recorded by the State government in the education sector, the commissioner commended the PCNI for the support to the state government in the education sector.
