Bauchi to open learning centres for 58,000 out-of-school children

Ahmed Mohammed, Bauchi

The Bauchi State Chairman State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB Dr Abubakar Surumbai Sheikh Dahiru has said the board is to open 1160 learning centers in nine local government areas for 58,000 Tsangaya pupils and female children to address the out-ofschool challenge in the state.

Dr Surumbai stated this yesterday in Bauchi when he declared open a training of 300 hundred National Certificate of Education NCE holders teachers at the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic Bauchi under the programme of Better Education Service delivery for All.

He said out of the number of NCE holders currently undergoing a three-day training simultaneously in nine local government areas selected said only 1160 who passed the examinations would be considered to conquer the menace of out-of-school children.

The Chairman, who is the State Project Coordinator of the programme, said the aim of the training was to get the best hands capable of handling pupils in Tsangaya and girl-child centers.

``The importance of this programme is to improve literacy and that is only possible by building capacity of the teachers. We will distribute books, and build toilets, learning shades in schools, including those in remote areas, free-of-charge.

``We will not take teachers out of their communities. We will also ensure that all the teachers live in the same community.”

He said free feeding would be introduced to motivate the pupils.

The Chairman expressed delight with the reduction of out-of-school children and the level of enrollment since the commencement of BESDA project in the state.