Niger Govt to Renovate 200 Schools

Laleye Dipo in Minna

The Niger State Government has concluded plans to construct and renovate 200 schools before the commencement of the new academic session this month. This will bring the number of schools either constructed or renovated by the APC administration to 475.

The administration had started what it termed “the whole school renovation approach scheme” under which the first 275 schools were either renovated or constructed.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello on Media and Publicity, Mr Jide Orintunsin, who disclosed this in a statement, said the governor has given the approval for the job to start immediately.

“The construction and renovation of the schools which cut across the basic education level is in fulfilment of Governor Sani Bello’s restoration agenda for the education sector following decades of neglect by past administrations”

“Bello directed that construction and renovation works in the schools should be completed on or before September 25, schools’ resumption date to enable returning pupils access their classrooms for the new academic session.”

Giving a breakdown of the successes recorded by the whole school renovation approach scheme, Orintunsin said nine secondary schools, three in each of the three senatorial districts, were renovated and equipped with state-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, workshops equipment, as well as hostels and staff quarters were renovated to boost teaching and learning.

In addition he disclosed that seven critical primary schools were also rehabilitated under the initiative across the three geopolitical zones of the state.

He added that government constructed and renovated blocks of classrooms, offices, stores and toilets in 88 primary and junior secondary schools in eight local government areas of Niger South Senatorial District; 82 similar schools built and rehabilitated in nine councils of Niger East Senatorial District; and 81 in Niger North Senatorial Zone.

The statement stated that government had supplied 22,738 teachers and pupils’ chairs and tables to the various schools within the lifespan of the administration.