Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Emir of Daura, Dr. Farouk Umar Farouk, has dismissed claims that Katsina is among the backward states in terms of girl-child education in the northern region of the country.
The traditional ruler said the state is not educationally backward because Nigeria’s founding fathers like late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and other nationalists have studied in the state.
He stated these in an audience with members of the Girls’ Education Project Phase 3 (GEP3) implementation committee led by the Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Lawal Buhari, at his palace in Daura yesterday.
The project, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom, and implemented by UNICEF in six northern states of Katsina, Zamfara, Niger, Sokoto, Bauchi and Kano, is primarily aimed at getting school-age girls to school without neglecting boys enrolment.
He insisted that Katsina State is not educationally backward because both the past and present leaders of the country got their elementary education and business orientation from the state because of the ‘solid educational’ foundation laid by its founding fathers.
The monarch said the present administration of Governor Aminu Bello Masari is also committed to the education and protection of the girl-child, saying holistic reforms in basic education have propelled children in the state to realise their full potential.
He added that UNICEF’s cause has also mirrored the commitment of the state government to a radical change in education that places all children on an equal learning pedestal and protects girls from violence and other untoward actions that impinge on their education.
According to him, “We held a meeting in Kaduna with all the northern emirs where they attributed Katsina among other Northern states that are backward in terms of education, especially that of girls. That’s it is not true!
“We are not backward in the area of girl-child and boys’ education. They said that to scare us but that had encouraged us to promote and enhance the education of our young girls and boys in the state.”
The emir, however, vowed to ensure the sustainability of the GEP3 programme in order to increase enrolment, retention and completion of girls and boys in schools across the state.
Earlier, the SUBEB Chairman, Buhari, told the emir that the delegation was in his palace to solicit for his support to ensure the sustainability of the GEP3 in the state.
Members of the committee had earlier visited the Emir of Katsina, Dr. Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, where they were received by the Yandakan Katsina, Sani Muhammed Sada.
