Zulum opens 48-classroom school, orders stipends for students, parents
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has inaugurated a 48-classromm Higher Islamic College at Gajiganna in the northern part of the state which will blend the traditional Islamic education with modern subjects and vocational training.
Speaking on Friday in Gajiganna, Zulum said the government had built 20 similar colleges across the state to provide Tsangaya pupils with basic literacy and vocational skills.
The governor emphasised that the goal of the administration is to provide knowledge and skills to all children of school age.
“Our goal is clear: to provide our children, especially Tsangaya learners, with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in today’s world.
“In pursuit of this, the institutions we are establishing operate under a curriculum approved by the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) which harmoniously blends Islamic scholarship with Science, Mathematics, Technology and Foundational English.
“At the same time, we have remained unwavering in our commitment to revitalising the Tsangaya education system—an enduring pillar of Islamic learning that has shaped our society for generations.
“Our reforms have been deliberate and balanced: safeguarding the cherished values of traditional Islamic scholarship while introducing modern subjects and vocational training.”
He directed the provision of one meal daily to students in higher Islamic colleges and those with low enrollment, and also stipends for the students and their parents.
According to him, the directive is to spike school enrollment especially in the northern part of the state, which had suffered devastation due over a decade-long insurgency.
He defended the action, saying “We must establish deliberate measures to promote education in northern Borno. This is the only region in Borno State that has not been developed in terms of education.
“So, both the secondary and primary education board chairmen are here. I want you to put more emphasis on northern Borno. You can see a situation whereby in this town with a total population of about 50,000 people, only 90 students were enrolled in a secondary school.”
He announced stipends for the students and their parents to ensure retention of those enrolled into the schools.
“We must support the parents of these 90 students from towns like Gajiganna. It is imperative to ensure that these 90 students complete their studies, it would represent significant progress. We will approve stipends of N250,000 for their fathers and N50,000 for each of their mothers. For the students themselves, we are setting aside N50,000 each, which will provide them with financial support for their essential needs.”
Governor Zulum, who commissioned a Government Day Secondary School to serve hundreds of pupils completing their primary education in Gajiganna town, said the goal of the administration is to provide knowledge and skills to all children of school age.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr Lawan Abba Wakilbe, commended the governor for delivering over 104 mega schools in six years.
“Your Excellency, to proudly highlight that under your stewardship, 104 Mega Schools have already been completed and delivered across the state, with an additional 35 at different stages of construction, excluding those already advertised and awaiting commencement,” Wakilbe said.
“This is a remarkable achievement that reflects not only infrastructure but vision, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to generations yet unborn.”
