The Kano State Commissioner of Education has condemned the de-boarding policy implemented by the previous administration in the state, describing it as a deliberate attempt to undermine education.
The Commissioner made this statement during a meeting with the Kano State Girls Education Partnership Committee, who visited his office.
According to the Commissioner, the de-boarding of public secondary schools was not driven by security concerns, as there were no security challenges at the time of school closures.
Instead, it was allegedly done to divert funds meant for feeding the children into the pockets of the past administration, which he termed very unfortunate.
Expressing concern, the Commissioner lamented that the de-boarding policy was not only motivated by greed but also aimed at hindering girl-child education and contributing to an increase in out-of-school children.
This, in turn, negatively impacted the socio-economic development of the state.He cited specific examples to illustrate the impact of the policy, noting a girls’ school in Kwa, Dawakin Tofa local government, which saw its student population decrease drastically from 2,300 to less than 200 after de-boarding.
Similarly, the girls’ school in ‘Yargaya had 3,000 students before the de-boarding, but now only 500 girls attend the school, leaving many girls deprived of education opportunities.
The Commissioner further highlighted that the policy disproportionately affected girls attending science schools, as they lacked access to science colleges in their local government areas.
In response to the concerning situation, Alh. Umar Doguwa announced the formation of a committee by the state government to review the de-boarding policy.
The committee’s goal is to ensure the prompt return of all boarding schools in Kano to their original status.
Assuring the public, Alh. Umar Doguwa stated that the present administration is willing to collaborate with Non-governmental organizations and development partners to revamp girl-child education and rejuvenate the state’s education sector.
During the meeting, the Co-chair of the Kano State Girls Education Partnership Committee, Hajiya Mairo Bello, briefed the Commissioner on the committee’s activities and requested him to nominate a new chairman for better coordination.
