National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) and some education stakeholders have commended the Kaduna State Government for constructing six new Science Boarding Secondary Schools to promote science education.
The stakeholders, who gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna, said that the development was crucial to the development of science education in the state.
NAPTAN President, Mr Haruna Danjuma, said that completion of the project was timely, considering the demand for science-based related skills in the state.
Danjuma called on the government to ensure adequate funding of the schools to ensure quality teaching and learning.
He expressed concern that of the more than 500 post primary schools in the state, only a few were up to standard due to poor funding.
According to him, majority of the schools are dilapidated, lacking basic teaching and learning materials and qualified teachers.
He called on the state government to increase investment in the sector and ensure timely release of funds to ensure quality teaching and learning in secondary schools.
The national president also urged the government to ensure that parents had a say and contribute their quota in running the schools.
He advised parents to take advantage of the development and enroll their children, particularly the girl-child to acquire science education and contribute to national development
Also, Mr Aliyu Tijjani, Citizen’s Co-chair, Kaduna Basic Education Accountability Mechanism, citizens’, and government platform for basic education, described science education as the “answer” to the state development efforts.
Tijjani said that the six new schools would increase the number of graduates in science related disciplines and contribute to bridging the science manpower gap in the state.
He also stressed the need for sustained funding, effective monitoring, and evaluation to ensure that the effort yields the desired result.
Tijani called for training and retraining of the teachers, based on identified gaps to ensure quality education delivery.
Similarly, Mrs Rebecca Sako-John, Technical Advisor, Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women, said that efforts would improve access to science education, particularly for girls in the state.
Sako-John, however, called for concerted efforts to encourage pupils from hard-to-reach communities, including Person Living with Disabilities.
NAN reports that the State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Halima Lawal, had on Monday announced that the schools were at 98 per cent completion.
Lawal had explained at the opening of a five-day training of teachers and administrators of the schools that each Senatorial Zone has two schools, one for boys and one for girls.
According to her, the goal is to promote science education and increase the number of graduates with a view to developing the needed science-based manpower for development of the state.
She said that the schools are located at Hunkuyi Kudan Local Government Area (LGA), Pambegua in Kubau LGA, Rigachikun, Igabi LGA, Buruku, Chikun LGA, Jere, Kagarko LGA and Manchok, Kaura LGA.
“The schools are strategically equipped with state-of-the-art facilities in line with global standards to deliver quality science education,’’ she said. (NAN)
