Kaduna State Government has concluded plans to improve the quality of
education in public schools as part of effort to ensure human capital
development, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and
Technology, Ja’afaru Sani has said.
Addressing a two-day Acceleration Conference on SDGs on Wednesday in
Kaduna, Sani noted that no society can progress without paying due
attention to human capital development. He said that the state
government has shifted emphasis to science, technology and innovation
to build the needed human resources for socio-economic development.
The commissioner blamed the poor state of education in the state to
poor quality of teaching and learning in public schools due to the rot
in infrastructure and poor quality of teachers.
“We have gone far in renovating and equipping our public schools; 500
schools are completed, about 1,200 are between 70 to 80 per cent
completion and we will continue till all our schools are renovated and
well equipped. We have rid our primary schools of unqualified teachers
and employed 25,000 qualified ones and recruitment of 760 qualified
teachers for secondary schools is ongoing,“ he said.
Jaafaru said that the state government was equipping libraries,
constructing and equipping laboratories and workshops in public
schools to improve practical skills and that efforts are on to equip
students with practical skills in the area of science and technology.
“Our goal is to upgrade public schools to be at same level with
private schools if not higher in terms of quality of teaching and
learning.”
The Deputy Governor of Kaduna state, Arch. Barnabas Bala Bantex, said
that the state government remained committed to the success of the
SDGs, adding that the local government councils have been strengthened
to deliver development at local levels. He called on all development
partners working in the state to join forces with the state government
in ensuring successful implementation of the SDGs.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social
Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, said that the state government has
rolled out various interventions designed to improve the livelihood of
women and children.
Hafsat said that 5,000 women have so far benefited from the N200
million provided to support women to establish or expand their
businesses. She said that the state government was making effort to
carry along women, children and people with disabilities who were
often left behind in governance.
Representative of Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation, Mr Kelechi
Ohiri urged the state government to increase investment in health and
education. He said that no nation can tap its demographic dividend
without focusing on the health and education of its population.
Representative of World Health Organisation, Dr. Rex Mpazanje noted
that investment in human capital development pays more than investment
in infrastructure. He noted that achieving SDGs in Kaduna state would
largely depends on attention given to human capital development.
