Zulum enrols 4,229 orphans in Borno schools, targets 7,000 IDPs

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, while targeting 7,000 displaced children, has enrolled 4,229 school age orphans from four local councils of the state.

The orphans were drawn for the massive school enrolment from Monguno, Kukawa, Marte and Guzamala local councils.

According to the governor, the orphans lost their the parents in the 13-year Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.

Flagging off the enrolment, yesterday, in Monguno, the governor disclosed that the children between six and 13 years of age were enrolled into primary and junior secondary schools, depending on their academic statuses, before they were displaced from their communities.

He said that after the displacement, many residents, including thousands of children, fled to Monguno Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps to take refuge for seven years.

Addressing the surviving parents, Zulum said: “Today, we are here in Monguno for the sole purpose of enrolling your children and wards to schools in the four affected councils.”

He applauded the parents and guardians for their large turnout for the massive school enrolment exercise.

Yesterday’s enrolment was the third mass admission of displaced children in Monguno town by the Zulum administration.

The governor also visited the ongoing construction and renovation works on the approved Federal Polytechnic, Monguno. There, he ordered the construction of students’ hostels, staff quarters and administrative block before the end of this year.

Zulum had, earlier this year, released N100 million to enable the polytechnic to take off, as President Muhammadu Buhari approved it in January 2021.