•Enrolled 300,000 in primary schools
Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has initiated a move to ensure the transition of 5,450 girls who completed their primary education to junior secondary schools in Katsina State.
Consequently, the UN agency commenced transition commitment town-hall meetings with primary six girls, parents and guardians to ensure that the girls transition to secondary schools.
The town-hall meeting, which began in Baure and Kankara, yesterday, was expected to be held in Kafur, Mani, Rimi and Katsina Local Government Areas of the state on Thursday, Friday and Saturday respectively.
Speaking during the meeting in Buare, the UNICEF Education Specialist, Mr. Mukhtar Muntaka Mohammed, said the agency was committed to ensuring the enrollment, transition and completion of girl-child education.
He explained that the town-hall meeting was aimed at assessing and proffering solutions to barriers hindering girls from transiting to junior secondary schools for effective and efficient learning to thrive in the state.
He said UNICEF had enrolled over 300,000 girls into primary schools across 12 local governments in Katsina State under its Girl Education Project phase 3 (GEP3) and there was a need for the girls to transit to secondary schools.
“Since we have improved enrollment in primary school in the state, we want to make sure that those girls who completed primary six are enrolled in junior secondary schools. We will ensure that there is a 100 per cent transition to junior secondary schools.
“We are engaging the parents to understand what are their problems that they cannot allow their girls to go to school. And their commitments that they will allow their girls to go to JSS,” Mohammed said.
Earlier, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Kabir Magaji, warned primary school teachers in the state to take their job seriously or face severe consequences.
Represented by Permanent Member 1 of the Board, Dr. Ibrahim Isyaka, Magaji said the board has the power to suspend or discipline any erring teacher, adding that the era of absenteeism is over.
He commended UNICEF for the initiative, adding that the gesture would significantly transform and enhance girls transition from primary school to secondary schools in the state.
