Gov. Ganduje begins payment of N148m grant to Kano schools

The Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje has started the payment of N148 million grants to 1,400 public secondary schools across the state.

Ganduje announced this during the launching of the disbursement at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano as part of events making the Education day of the state.

The Governor disclosed that that the grants will boost the free education and Almajiri integration policy of the state.

Ganduje declared that the free and mandatory education policy introduced by the state can only be sustained through steady funds.

He said, “We are providing cheques to schools for daily maintenance. We are providing Tablet computers to Education Officers across the 44 LGAs for data generation, analysis, management and transfer of data such as enrollment, discipline among others to the headquarters without physical appearance.

“Outside Koranic recitation and Western education, the Almajiris are being taught various skills so that they can also fend for themselves after graduation.”

The Governor further said that to sustain funding of the policy and other education programmes, the state has not failed to pay the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) equivalent funding under the Nigerian government.

Ganduje lauded President Buhari for guaranteeing steady and quick payments to the state.

He said, “Kano State is up to date down to 2021 in the payment for counterpart funding.

“The excess we paid in 2020 is even being rolled over to 2021 and we thank President Buhari for always ensuring that funds are released to us in time.”

As indicated by him, other sources of funding of the policy are; resources from the Educational Trust Fund, five percent of Internally Generated Revenue of the state, one percent of LGA funds and Community participation where individuals are willingly giving to the bassinet of the policy.

Ganduje declared that all teachers in the state have been upgraded to the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) through different training.

He stated, “We are happy to have entered into a partnership with Media Trust, the publishers of Daily Trust Newspapers for the publication of TEEN TRUST, a publication for the Children.

“It is an innovation to educate our children, especially in the northern part.

“I want to assure you that, since we came to office in 2015, we have never failed to provide our counterpart funding for the development of education in Kano state.

“I am happy to inform you that we are up to date because even as of 2021, we have already paid part of it.”