APC Chieftain Rates Bauchi Gov Low in Education

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, Mr. Harsanu Guyaba has rated Governor Mohammed Abubakar’s performance in the education sector low.

Guyaba said in an interview in Bauchi that the governor has performed below the expectations of the people.

“We were expecting a total overhaul of the education sector, considering the dilapidation of many schools across the state but the reverse is the case with the Abubakar-led administration, which has performed below expectation.”

Guyaba ‎regretted that none of the existing 218 secondary schools in the state has received government’s attention, adding, “none has been renovated or upgraded since the governor assumed office. We are indigenes and we know the state inside out.

“Take a trip from Bauchi to Kirfi, Darazo, Misau Azare, Shira Zaki, Ningi, Warji and Toro, what you see are sorry sights of dilapidated school buildings. There is no teaching and learning material or welfare package to motivate the teachers and students.

“The state of infrastructure is nothing to write home about; most buildings are on the state of disrepair. The whole environment is unconducive for teaching and learning, especially as pupils sit under the trees to take lessons. We expect that the people would be circumspect to vote for an education-friendly governorship candidate in 2019.”

Guyaba stressed that the state needs an administrator that would overhaul the education sector and introduce modern learning facilities, in addition to building a dedicated workforce.

‎He also faulted the governor’s pronouncement of some of his achievements on foreign media, saying, “the achievements mentioned are not realistic of what he said on education, Yankari‎ Game Reserve and many others.”

But in a swift reaction, the governor’s Special Adviser on Education and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Sabo Mohammed said at inception, the administration declared a state of emergency in education with a view to overhauling the system.

“The governor is determined to overhaul the sector and put education in the front burner. He is also committed towards providing human and material resources to meet with the challenges of educating its citizenry.

He said that the government’s measure has improved infrastructure and facilities in school. “It has also provided the necessary materials and helped to restore the confidence of parents to bring back their children to public schools.”

‎Mohammed said the governor believes that when the citizenry receive functional education, there would be dynamic, robust and productive citizenry. He said the administration is addressing the issue of a sharp increase in student population in schools in urban and semi-urban areas of the state.

“The ministry of education provided over 10,000 desks for schools in both the urban and semi-urban towns. It also organises capacity building for teachers in public schools in areas of new pedagogy and methodology of teaching, classroom management, teacher-student relationship and effective school management.”

‎He therefore described the assertions of the APC chieftain as baseless and unfounded.