Kebbi State Governor, Comrade Dr Nasir Idris, Kauran Gwandu has said that the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has spent over N8bn on construction, renovation, procurement, furnishing and provision of infrastructure in schools across the state.
He disclosed this at the commissioning and handing over of three Junior Secondary/Vocational Schools in Kebbi on Wednesday.
The three schools included; Government Junior Secondary/Vocational School, Nagari College Birnin Kebbi, Government Secondary School, Bagudo and Government Day Secondary School, Ngaski.
Gov. Idris said: “It may be of interest to note that during the period, from June 2023 to May 2024, the State Universal Basic Education Board has attained significant level of accomplishment in the construction, renovation, procurement, furnishing and provision of infrastructure to the tune of N8,176,114,000.”
The governor added that in the same vein, under BESDA programme, a total sum of N5,887,626,306:88 was spent for the construction, renovation and training in different location across the state.
He observed that vocational education play a crucial role in preparing the young people for the challenges of the modern workforce by equipping them with practical skills and knowledge.
Gov. Idris said: “We are empowering them to succeed in their chosen fields and contribute meaningfully to the economy.
“As a demonstration of my commitment towards the development of education, adequate budgetary provision has been made to establish additional vocational schools across the state.”
He also said that a number of projects were executed under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in the state towards boosting the education sector.
In his speech, Dr Ahmed Bobboyi, Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), said the Federal Government was developing the academic and entrepreneurial potentials of young learners to make them employable, productive and self-reliant.
The ES described the commissioning and handing over as the first out of the 51 of such schools being constructed across the country.
Bobboyi added that the construction and equipping of Junior Secondary/Vocational Education Schools mark the begining of an intensive drive towards ensuring that education at all levels was made relevant and useful to the learner, his community and the country at large.
He said: “The emphasis in schooling is shifting towards developing the academic and entrepreneurial potentials of young learners.
“This is with the intention of equipping them with life sustaining skills that will make them employable, productive, self-reliant, and capable of contributing to the development of their communities and the country at large.”
Bobboyi added that the expectation was that the learners would continue to practice, develop and master the skills acquired at that stage of their life which would make them job and wealth creators, thus reducing unemployment and idleness among the youth.
“It is believe that as long as the youth have some vocations to engage their time and attention, the growing rate of restiveness and social crime will reduce,” he said.
Earlier, the State Minister of Education, Dr Yusuf Tanko-Sununu said the present administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was making frantic efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children across Nigeria.
He stressed the need for additional infrastructure so as to accommodate the newly recruited out-of-school children.
