By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has condemned the appropriation of public school grounds for private commercial ventures by the previous administration as a flagrant breach of communal trust.
The governor said this on Saturday during the declaration of the State of Emergency in Education in Kano State, held at the Kano Government House
Expressing disapproval of the former administration’s negligent stance towards education, Governor Yusuf criticized the emphasis placed by the previous regime on the commercial exploitation of school property.
Upon assuming office on May 29, he said that his administration was confronted with the alarming reality of over 4.7 million students relegated to sitting on bare floors in primary schools across the 44 local government areas of the state.
Governor Yusuf emphasized that the decision of the state government to declare an educational emergency was supported by the National Union of Teachers (NUT), highlighting the urgent need for immediate action.
He said that, besides the deficiency of fundamental teaching tools, the dire situation was exacerbated by the insufficiency of resources, leaving educators and students struggling with outmoded and inadequate equipment.
In a resolute manner, Governor Yusuf underscored the imperative of addressing the current crisis in the education sector, acknowledging education as the primary concern and a significant legacy for future generations.
Recognizing that the caliber of education shapes a society’s progress, he vowed to implement bold and practical initiatives to rejuvenate the educational structure in the state.
Additionally, Governor Yusuf expressed sorrow over the escalating problem of out-of-school children, with nearly a million youngsters currently denied access to educational opportunities.
He elaborated on the dismal state of the educational domain, once a beacon of hope and a model to emulate, now overshadowed by neglect and decline.