Bauchi community constructs 2 classrooms to enroll children

The Sullubawa settlement in Bauchi local government area of Bauchi state has constructed two classrooms block to enroll out of school children in the area.

The Head of the community, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, made the disclosure in an interview Monday in Bauchi.

Abubakar stated  that 40 families in the area contributed money for the construction of the classrooms, adding that each of them donated N10, 000 which facilitated successful execution of the project through communal effort.

He said the project was initiated by members of the community to provide decent learning environment to enroll their children into formal school system.

The community leader lamented that their wards were attending classes under tree shades in the past 11 years since they settled in the area due to lack of public school.

Abubakar  said a Bauchi based NGO, Reproductive Health Initiative and Support Association (RHISA) had in 2017 established temporary learning space to enable the children attend classes under tree.

“An NGO came to the community in 2017 to establish a non-formal learning center conducted under the tree.

“We then hold a community meeting on enrollment drive because we want all the children to go to school.

“40 households that make up the community agreed to contribute N10, 000 each to start construction of permanent classroom block.

“We also agreed that each child will be paying N200 per term to procure learning materials and a set of uniform.

“We want our children to go to school earlier than now, but the nearest school is located about eight kilometers from the community which is also far for the children,’’ he said.

Abubakar also commended the organisation for identifying with the community and introduction of formal education in the area.

Also speaking, Mr Hussaini Ahmed, the RHISA programme officer, said the organisation had identified  the community through General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) mapping.

Ahmed said the organisation set up a non-formal learning center and deployed a volunteer teacher to the community.

Ahmed said the community constructed two classrooms in 2018 while the school commenced academic activities in 2019 with a volunteer teacher and head teacher deployed by the Local Education Authority (LEA).

“When they intimate us about their intention, RHISA linked them with the LEA for proper school guidelines and a head teacher was posted to the school in October 2019,” Ahmed said.

He said three classrooms in the school were still operating under tree. (NAN)

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