Kogi records 89% improved basic education

GOVERNOR Idris Wada of Kogi State has said that his administration has recorded significant development of the basic education in the state through the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

   The governor, who stated this in a statement issued and signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on MDGs, Haliru Ali Abdul, said Kogi State as one of the few leading states in northern part of the country has recorded a completion rate of about 89 per cent in basic education being the Goal 2 of the MDGs.

  According to him, the Universal Basic Education (UBE) scheme is a positive initiative that needs to be turned around and strengthened to achieve the 100 per cent record by the first quarter of the year 2015.

  He added that the state government has rapidly expanded and improved this initiative to accelerate progress and reduce regional disparities across the 21 local councils of the state.

  Abdul said the Goal 3 of the MDGs, which is to promote gender equality and empower women, has also recorded monumental success in the state, adding that the gradual improvement in girl-enrolment in primary school has been remarkable.

  In promoting gender equality, Abdul said that the present administration of Governor Wada has more women in his cabinet than the past administrations, pointing out that the new policy frame-work put in place to sensitise women to take active part in politics is encouraging.

  He also stressed that confronting variations in the determinant of gender inequality requires policies based on an understanding of the underlying socio-economic, social and cultural factors, which he said, the state and local council efforts will be critical to the achievement of the goal.

  Abdul said monumental progress had been made in reducing child mortality rate in Kogi State, pointing out that with sustained improvement, there is a strong possibility of achieving Goal 4 of the MDGs by the first quarter of 2015.

  According to him, Kogi State is ahead of all the northern states in routine immunisation, noting that the state has successfully achieved the near-eradication of polio in the state.

  He said there are some of the incentives for health workers in rural areas, which have been backed up by recently-constituted Rural Health Workers Scheme in Kogi State.