20/05/2025
Zulum Administration Revolutionizes Education Sector, Unveils Three State-of-the-Art Junior Secondary Schools, Deploys Dedicated Teachers, and Rolls Out Ambitious Enrollment Drive
In a significant move to revitalize education in post-insurgency communities, Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has commissioned three newly constructed Government Junior Day Secondary Schools in Tungushe (Konduga LGA), Yerimari, and Wadiya (Jere LGA). The initiative, delivered under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, aims to expand access to quality education in underserved rural areas.
The schools located over 20 kilometers from Maiduguri, were constructed by the Borno State Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation as part of a broader strategy to restore education access in communities severely affected by conflict.
Representing the Governor at the commissioning ceremonies, Commissioner for Education, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, stated that the intervention aligns with Borno State’s 25-Year Development Plan, which emerged from a comprehensive multi-sectoral needs assessment in 2019.
“These communities had little or no access to junior secondary education,” said the Commissioner. “Tungushe, for instance, previously had only a primary school. With these new schools, we are bridging the educational gap and restoring hope for the future.”
He acknowledged the advocacy of traditional leaders, particularly the Shahu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai Alamin El-Kanemi for facilitating the establishment of the Yerimari school.
To ensure a smooth take-off, Engr. Wakilbe announced the immediate deployment of qualified teachers and the provision of take-off grants. An enrollment drive, with a strong emphasis on increasing girls’ enrollment, was also launched. At each site, newly enrolled students received uniforms, textbooks, and instructional materials.
The Commissioner emphasized that communities with strong enrollment would be prioritized for additional classroom blocks and future interventions.
On the state-wide rollout of educational infrastructure, Wakilbe disclosed that 57 schools across Borno are currently awaiting commissioning, with six already inaugurated. “The remaining 51, particularly in Maiduguri, will be launched soon by His Excellency. For now, we are focusing on hard-to-reach communities where schools cannot be grouped for simultaneous commissioning,” he said.
Speaking at the event, AGILE State Project Coordinator, Engr. Ibrahim Baba, shared that 35 junior secondary schools are under construction under the AGILE framework, with 28 already completed. He highlighted the project’s emphasis on safe, inclusive learning environments, digital literacy, life skills, and continuous teacher training.
“AGILE is a community driven initiative that works closely with traditional, religious, and local leaders to promote sustainability and ensure increased enrollment, especially for adolescent girls,” Baba noted.
At each school, the Commissioner formally handed over the facilities to the respective communities, urging parents to seize the opportunity and enroll their children. He reaffirmed Governor Zulum’s commitment to ensuring no child is left behind in the state's educational resurgence.
Dignitaries in attendance included the Chairman of the Borno State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Bulama Kagu; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Yakaro; as well as senior advisers, directors, and education officials from both the ministry and SUBEB.
Education Secretaries of Konduga and Jere LGAs and traditional rulers pledged to support full enrollment and ensure the immediate start of academic activities.
The events concluded with the symbolic distribution of learning materials to students a gesture marking another milestone in Governor Zulum’s determined mission to rebuild and transform education across Borno State.
~ Borno APC New Media
