Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has commended the Executive Chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hon. Kassim Mohammed Kassim, for what he described as remarkable reforms and renewed commitment to primary and junior secondary education in the state.

Presenting the governor’s letter of commendation on Tuesday at the State Secretariat, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Labaran Shuaibu Magaji, said the gesture followed deliberations and approval by the State Executive Council in recognition of Kassim’s performance since assuming office.

According to the SSG, the Sule administration places premium importance on basic education as the foundation of human capital development, noting that noticeable improvements have been recorded under Kassim’s leadership.

“Since the assumption of office of our dear friend, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr. Kassim Mohammed Kassim, we have witnessed a clear transformation in the way primary education is being handled in Nasarawa State,” Magaji said.

He disclosed that over 1,000 staff previously deployed to administrative duties were redeployed back to classrooms to address the shortage of teachers across public schools in the state.

“Records have shown that many staff who were redundant, particularly in offices, were redeployed to the classrooms, thereby bridging the gap created by the shortage of teachers to teach our children,” he added.

Magaji further noted that the quality of infrastructure projects in schools, including classrooms and toilets, has significantly improved due to strict supervision and monitoring by the SUBEB management.

“Unlike before when school projects were handled with little seriousness, we now see quality delivery through close monitoring by the chairman and his team. There is a visible improvement in our primary school system,” he stated.

He also cited the first-ever Basic Education Summit organised by SUBEB as another milestone that attracted the attention of the governor and aligned with his vision for education development in the state.

The SSG explained that a similar letter of commendation was also extended to the Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Scholarship Board for her integrity in returning over ₦120 million detected during scholarship disbursement to the state government.

“That amount could have been wasted or diverted, but because of her conscience, she returned it to the coffers of the state government to be used for the benefit of the people,” Magaji said.

He emphasised that the commendations were part of a reward system aimed at encouraging transparency, diligence, and service delivery in public office.

In the letter dated December 2025, Governor Sule praised Kassim’s leadership, noting his commitment to regular monitoring of schools and projects, which he said had strengthened teaching and learning across primary and junior secondary schools in the state.

“Your exemplary leadership and the pace of your stewardship are worthy of commendation and align with our resolve to uplift the standard of education in Nasarawa State,” the governor stated.

Responding, the SUBEB Chairman, Hon. Kassim Mohammad Kassim, expressed gratitude to the governor and the entire state leadership for the recognition, describing it as both humbling and motivating.

“Sincerely, I am overwhelmed. I want to thank the entire management team of SUBEB and appreciate His Excellency, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, for his support and for recognising our efforts,” Kassim said.

He attributed the achievement to collective effort and outlined key reforms undertaken within six months of assuming office, including the redeployment of teachers from offices to schools and improved project monitoring.

“We discovered about 4,000 qualified teachers posted to offices. So far, we have redeployed 1,009 back to classrooms, and plans are underway to redeploy another 1,000,” he explained.

Kassim revealed that the governor has also approved the recruitment of 1,000 additional teachers, largely to serve rural communities where shortages are most acute.

“We see these as rural teachers, and we are appealing for special allowances to motivate those willing to serve in hard-to-reach areas,” he said.

He reaffirmed SUBEB’s commitment to revitalising basic education in the state, stressing that sustainable development must begin with a strong educational foundation.