MAKING SECONDARY EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE: SENATOR UBA SANI COMMISSIONS NEW SECONDARY SCHOOLS

In the quest to provide access to secondary education to the children of the underprivileged, the Kaduna State government led by Senator Uba Sani has made significant strides to ensure students have safe and conducive learning environments. The proactive Governor recognized challenges such as distance, safety, and inadequate learning spaces led to the introduction of laudable initiatives to boost enrollment, retention, and completion rates in secondary schools.

Recall that the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani laid the foundation for the construction of 62 new Secondary schools in August of 2023 with the following already commissioned as of the 27^th of May 2024 and others nearing completion.

1. GJSS Abakpa
2. GJSS Kakuri Gwari
3. GJSS Anguwan Gauji
4. GSSS Nasarawa Rigachikun

These new schools are being constructed to ease the burden of long-distance travel and security concerns for students transitioning from primary to junior secondary school, and from junior to senior secondary school.

The 62 new secondary schools are located across the state’s three senatorial zones. The schools include 39 junior secondary schools, designed to accommodate 23,400 students, and 23 senior secondary schools, intended for 16,560 students when completed. Each junior secondary school comprises 10 fully furnished classrooms and a block of 12 toilets. The senior secondary schools feature 12 fully furnished classrooms, a block of 12 toilets, a computer laboratory, 3 science laboratories, and a multi-purpose hall.

The junior secondary schools are constructed within existing basic education schools, aligning with the Federal Government’s nine-year basic education curriculum. This initiative aims to increase school capacity, reduce the teacher-student ratio, create a safer and more conducive learning environment, and consequently boost enrollment, retention, and completion rates.

Kaduna State’s commitment to education demonstrates the power of investment in human development. These initiatives of the Kaduna State government are being executed by the Ministry of Education’s Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) with the support of the World Bank.