Gov. Muktar Yero of Kaduna State on Saturday said the education sector in the state would consume more than N2.5 billion in the 2015 fiscal year.
Speaking at the 22nd Annual General Meeting of the Zaria Education Development Association in Zaria, Kaduna State, Yero said his administration had placed education second to security which has made the sector to receive allocation of N20.5 billion.
“This amount will be expended on construction and rehabilitation of physical structures, employment of additional teachers, capacity development for teachers and provision of modern facilities in public schools at all levels,” he said.
He recalled that the government had last year constructed and rehabilitated 187 junior secondary and primary schools, 38 senior secondary schools and 58 laboratories while 46 libraries were furnished.
The governor also said that 26 games villages for developed for early child care development, construction of 470 cubicle toilets and 75 offices and furnishing of 509 classrooms in both primary and secondary schools.
He said that his administration had expended more than N960 million on overseas scholarships.
While applauding the association for its efforts to rescue education in the Zazzau emirate, Yero called on similar associations to emulate the gesture for societal growth and development.
Earlier, the Chairman of the central working committee of the association, Dr Alimi Bello, said it had since inception 22 years ago geared its energy toward the development of education in the emirate.
Bello identified some of the association’s activities to include organising remedial programmes that give intensive coaching to secondary school students with deficiency in GCE, WAEC and NECO and organising JAMB clinics.
He said the association also organised vocational training programmes for boys and girls who could not cope academically or were interested in acquisition of practical skills.
“We train the youth in trades like welding, tailoring, auto-mechanic, weaving, knitting, electric wiring and a host of other technical skills.”
Bello said the association also awarded scholarships and bursaries to indigent, disabled and brilliant students in the area.
The chairman called on the government to support and partner with the association to resuscitate its cyber cafe to impart information and communication technology to students and teachers.
The Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, described education as the foundation of human development.
He said this necessitated the spirited efforts of the emirate to support the government and non-governmental organisations to ensure the provision of quality education.
He called on politicians to eschew rancour and violent during their campaigns and the February elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that different trophies were presented to some schools which excelled in debate and quiz competitions organised by the association in 2014. (NAN)
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