KADUNA STATE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME: BETWEEN GOVERNOR EL-RUFA’I AND HIS CRITIQUES! PART (2)
KADUNA STATE SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME: BETWEEN GOVERNOR EL-RUFA’I AND HIS CRITIQUES!
PART (2)
By:
Nurudeen Dauda
27th February,2016
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You are free to criticize any government policy objectively but not blindly! Unfortunately for even some APC members who are directly or indirectly criticizing the policy do not know that the free school feeding programme is not El-rufai’I’s invention instead is in the APC’s manifesto as well as the federal government’s programme which is even in the 2016 budget proposal. Governor El-rufa’I must be commended for being first among equals by fulfilling one of his party’s campaign promises. However, what is even more worrisome are the critiques from the PDP whose party left the educational sector in shambles for many years. They should rather hide their faces in shame! Had the 16years of PDP in the state left good teachers, structures, and furniture etc we would be talking of building ICT centers in our schools by now!
Some critiques have often said that we do not need free meal but schools rehabilitations, furniture, and qualified teachers. They are indeed very correct with this argument but unfortunately for them they do not deem it fit to read the budget speech of his Excellency thus: “…education with N27.5billion for the renovation and reconstruction of schools; primary school feeding; uniforms and tablets for secondary school students; and provision of school furniture. The public has responded with enthusiasm to our free education policy by raising school enrolment rate by 50%...”Excerpted from governor El-rufa’I budget speech.
Free School feeding programme and the provision of other educational infrastructure in the state is on-going currently .Over 2,000 additional teachers with background in sciences, English language, Mathematics and ICT have been recruited and posted to various schools. Kaduna Furniture and Critall Hope companies have since been engaged with provisions of furniture and Windows and doors for the schools as mentioned sometimes ago by Isa Aremu in his Daily Trust column. Schools rehabilitations are on-going in phases in the state. Six science secondary schools will be built 2 in each of the three senatorial zones: Zone 1 Pambegua and Hunkuyi; Zone 2 Rigachikun and Buruku and Zone 3 Jere and Manchok. Distribution of free school uniforms all over the state has started. On teachers motivations In Kaduna state teachers can rise to level 17 now (as Director Tutors) all these are verifiable. I hereby want to advise His Excellency to do more on teachers’ motivations and training as well as prompt payment of their salaries.
What makes governance difficult in Kaduna state is the years of neglect by the successive PDP regimes (1999-2015).For Kaduna state’s Educational sector reform is starting everything afresh. Elsewhere theirs needs only consolidation! If truth be told 50% -60% of the schools teachers inherited are unqualified, 75%-80% of the school buildings are dilapidated or completely collapsed, and 70%-80% of the school children seat on the floor before this administration comes on board.
Disagree with facts if you can!
This programme has stimulates the economy of Kaduna state, over 17,000 jobs have been provided for caterers plus thousands of their assistants and sellers of Eggs, Yams, Rice, Beans, Palm &groundnut oil etc. Kaduna state pays tailors N72million for school Uniforms, addressing newsmen in Kaduna, the Commissioner for Education, Science and technology said over 300 tailors had been contracted to sew the uniforms across the state(Daily Trust,2016: February 15:7). How about the benefits to the suppliers of yards, Sewing thread, button, Gum stay, Zip, Needle, Zigza, and Weaving machine etc.? May the Almighty God assist our governor to continue to deliver.
May the Almighty God bless Nigeria!