Niger State government has distributed kitchen utensils and classroom furniture to boarding schools. Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago made the symbolic distribution at the Educational Resource Centre, Minna, on Wednesday.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Abubakar Usman, the governor said the idea is to enhance school feeding initiative, particularly to ensure that nutritious meals are prepared and served safely to students.

He noted that the state will extend the policy beyond improving school kitchens, to empowering students to take pride in their education pursuits and aspire to be the best in their chosen endeavours.

While enumerating the achievements recorded in education by his administration, Governor Bago reiterated that his priority is to ensure access to quality education is provided from basic to tertiary level.

He added that in doing so, about half of the 2025 budget will go to education and health sectors, adding that N1.8 billion has been earmarked as matching grant to Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to the timely payment of counterpart funds to support educational projects in the state.

Bago words: “Through our partnership with the World Bank Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) programme, we intend to expand access to education for girl-child and renovate 534 schools across the state.

“Also, given the importance of technical and vocational education, the sum of N1.512 billion was earmarked for the complete renovation and equipping of technical schools in Suleja”.

He commended the Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education as well as all critical stakeholders for their support in revamping the education sector in the State, urging them not to relent in their efforts.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Hadiza Asabe Mohammed, said lack of essential kitchen utensils in boarding schools has been a major concern, affecting the wellbeing of students.

She described the distribution of the kitchen utensils as a significant step in the collective effort to enhance education in the state.

The Commissioner disclosed that the state presently has 43 active boarding schools under the government’s direct feeding programme, which includes 34 conventional boarding schools and eight integrated Quranic Education Schools, serving a total of 9,382 students with the number expected to rise to 12,000 in 2024/2025 academic session. She commended the governor for the gesture.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Jonathan Wasa, in his remarks, applauded Governor Bago for his political will to “work the talk” towards changing the negative education narrative in the State.

Some of the kitchen utensils distributed include 5,000-litre capacity of water storage tanks, frying pans, plastic drums, grinding machines, cooking pots and plastic, trays, buckets, serving spoons, big coolers, turning sticks, chopping boards, mortar and pestles, torch light, kitchen knives, perforated cooking spoons, iron basins, student plates, measuring jugs, fire stands and big and students’ food warmers, among others.