By Haruna Aliyu, BIRNIN KEBBI

The Executive Chairman, Kebbi State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Professor Sulaiman Khalid, has said that sustained advocacy in the rural areas of the state and in collaboration with UNICEF, CSO and NGOs, returned 86,000 out-of-school children to the classroom.

He said the children include almajiris and children of nomads.

Khalid, who spoke in  his office in Birnin Kebbi, on Thursday, added that it was the concerted efforts by Kebbi state government to boost basic primary education in the state.

“During the year under review, at least 1,58 classroom were renovated and 42,242 pieces of furniture were supplied to public primary schools, while 518 new classrooms were constructed to decongest the existing schools,” he added.

In addition to that, professor Khalid stated that 450 WC toilet were installed and 158 boreholes and hand-powered water system were dug.

To boost computer literacy of the pupils in the state he said at least 16 ICT centers has been established.

“With limited resources at our disposal, we are moving at high speed to ensure every child in the state gets basic education.”

He said the board in collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners in education have planned to returned yet another 130,000 to school, envisaging that in the next five years Kebbi will record zero out-of-school children.

Khalid who decried low pupils enrollments in rural areas said the problem of education is not the structures, but parents’ failure in the rural areas to enroll their children.

He pledged to continue with the advocacy to create awareness in order to give the state government value for the monies being expanded to boost education.

Vanguard News Nigeria