Zulum completes 24 schools, engages 1,000 teachers, distributes 300 bicycles to students

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has completed 24 mega schools across the state.

About 1, 000 trained teachers have also been engaged by the state government to facilitate teaching in the schools, including Biu Community Higher Islamic school with over 2, 000 students.

Inaugurating two mega schools, yesterday, in Biu and Mirnga towns, the governor said: “I have approved the employment of 20 additional new teachers for Butatai community mega school.”

Zulum also disclosed that over 600 classrooms were renovated to accommodate an increasing number of children that are out of school.

The governor noted that he also ordered the construction of 200 houses for Mirnga residents affected by the 13-year Boko Haram insurgency.

According to him, the Mirnga School has the capacity to accommodate over 1, 500 new students.

He, therefore, directed the recruitment of an additional 20 teachers to be selected from the host community for deployment in the school.

“The recruitment of teachers will be on an ad-hoc basis with proven capacity and commitment to perform efficiently,” he said.

He stated that they would be in permanent employment before they are fully integrated into the state civil service.

On sustaining the schools and teachers, the State Commissioner for Education, Lawan Wakilbe, said that in the last three years, teachers’ quarters were built in Maiduguri metropolis, Mafa and Banki, border communities with Cameroon.

He added that 458 water supply, sanitation and hygiene facilities were also constructed in 350 primary and post-primary institutions in the state.

IN a similar development, Zulum has also distributed 300 bicycles to Biu Community Higher Islamic School.

According to him, the distribution of bicycles to over 1,500 students was to prevent absenteeism among students.

Flagging off the distribution, yesterday, in Biu, Zulum, said: “The distribution of bicycles, textbooks, as well as exercise books will increase school attendance and promptness.”

He noted that school absenteeism and lateness have affected students’ performances in National Examination Council (NECO) and West African Examination Council (WAEC) examinations.