By Jibrin Hussaini Kundum, Bauchi
In a continued effort to renovate dilapidated public schools across Bauchi State, the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, has tasked rural communities in the Bauchi North Senatorial District to take ownership of school infrastructure and protect facilities from vandalism by unpatriotic citizens.
The Director of School Services, SUBEB, Mallam Zuhairu Usman, gave the task while briefing education stakeholders, as well as community and religious leaders in the zone, on the need to safeguard school facilities and support ongoing efforts to restore the lost glory of basic education in the state.
Mallam Zuhairu Usman disclosed this while leading journalists on an inspection tour of schools currently undergoing renovation.
Some of the schools benefiting from the replacement of damaged roofing structures in Bauchi North and parts of the Central Zone include Zubo Primary School, Hurare Upper Basic, Galdimari Primary and Junior Secondary School, Wambiyo Primary School, and Gudda Primary and Junior Secondary School.
Others are Zadawa Primary and Junior Secondary School, Duhuwar Kura Primary School, Central Primary School Itas, and Central Primary School Darazo, among others.
The Director School Services of the Board, explained that the renovation exercise is aimed at replacing damaged roofing structures and rehabilitating deteriorated facilities to create a more conducive environment for effective teaching and learning process.
He noted that many public school roofs were destroyed due to years of neglect, windstorms, and acts of vandalism particularly the removal of desks by scrap dealers popularly known as Bola Jari—necessitating SUBEB’s intervention.
Mallam Zuhairu Usman further assured that SUBEB, under the leadership of its Executive Chairman, the First Emir of Duguri, Alhaji Adamu Muhammad Duguri, will not tolerate acts of vandalism by unpatriotic individuals.
He pledged that the board would sustain the renovation of dilapidated schools across the state and also provide furniture and other learning materials to affected schools, with a view to strengthening basic education.
In their separate remarks, the Village Head of Gudda, Magaji Abdu, the Education Secretary of Misau Local Education Authority, Muhammad Bashir Darazo, the Principal of Zadawa Junior Secondary School, Ali Ahmad Tijjani, and the Head of Planning, Research and Statistics of Jama’are LEA, Babbayo Baba Ladan, expressed optimism that the renovation exercise would positively change the narrative of the basic education sector in the state.
They said the intervention would significantly improve the learning environment and enhance the effective acquisition of western education by pupils and students.
The stakeholders also commended Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed for his commitment to restoring the lost glory of basic education and thanked the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, the Emir of Duguri, Alhaji Adamu Muhammad Duguri, for the initiative.
They pledged their commitment to taking ownership of school infrastructure to safeguard facilities for the benefit of future generations.