AHMED MARI, Maiduguri
The Borno state Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum has said his administration will establish 8 secondary schools to serve as “centres of excellence “where talented students who performed excellently in their academic studies would be enrolled .
Governor Babagana Zulum made this known in an interview with journalists in Damboa, a town in Damboa local government area of the state on Sunday shortly after commissioning and inspection of some projects.
“The centres of excellence that we are trying to establish are 7 or 8 to ensure that talented students are enrolled and they can motivate the other ones to do well so that they too can go to the centres of excellence.
I want to assure you that these centres of excellence will have all the necessary facilities we have in secondary schools, adequate teaching and learning environment among others shall also be provided”, Zulum said.
Governor Zulum said ” Those students that have performed exceedingly well in other schools would be given opportunity to enroll into the centre of excellence. You have seen model schools were established in UK and other parts of the world. So we are trying to copy such initiative so that our students would benefit from the scheme.”
While in Damboa, Governor Zulum commissioned the Damboa Higher Islamic College, one of the 47 schools constructed by his administration.
The Governor also commissioned a junior secondary school in Garjang, located in Damboa Local Government Area, to address the challenges associated with the growing number of children completing primary education in the region.
Zulum said that the establishment of High Islamic colleges was part of his administration’s resolve to integrate non-formal education into the formal educational system.
“These colleges are designed to integrate Tsangaya learners into a curriculum developed by the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) which blends traditional Islamic studies with modern subjects like science, technology, mathematics and foundational English skills,” he added.
To ensure student retention in the schools, the Zulum’s administration, under the back-to-school programme had provided about 2,000 school pupils with school uniforms, exercise, and textbooks as well as bicycles to ease movement for those coming from distant villages.
The governor also approved a N50 million grant for the High Islamic College Damboa to facilitate its day-to-day running.
Earlier speaking, the Borno state Commissioner for Education, science, technology, Hon Abba Wakilbe said ” In the cause of this administration, 102 schools have been established, each representing the renewed hope for future of our children in Damboa local government. They are the proud beneficiaries of these initiatives”.
“Today, we are gathered here to celebrate yet another fulfilled promise with the commissioning of Higher Islamic College Damboa, along with significant intervention in Government Girls Technical Secondary School Damboa. As part of His Excellency’s commitment to school retention and provision of essential scholastic materials”, the commissioner said.
He said under the retention policy, back to school kits which includes uniforms, textbooks school bags exercise books mathematical sets and stocking bicycles to ease mobility all these were geared in supporting students academic journey and reducing financial burden on the family.
During the visit Governor Zulum, also was at the site of the new General Hospital in Damboa to assess the progress of the ongoing work at the facility.
He expressed satisfaction with the quality of the work and charged the contractor to complete it on time without compromising the standard.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has approved six additional projects in two local government areas of Chibok and Damboa.
Parts of the projects in Chibok include the establishment of an ICT centre and a high Islamic college.
The projects for Damboa Local Government Area are the rehabilitation of Wovi Primary and Junior Secondary Schools, Government Girls Technical School and Government Day Secondary School.
