KEFAS, EDUCATION AND ‘BIG IMAGINATION’

The Taraba State government is placing high premium on education, writes Luka Danboyi

“It is not beyond our power to create a world in which all children have access to a good education. Those who do not believe this have small imaginations.”

In another year, three decades would have passed since Nelson Mandela, unarguably one of the greatest leaders and statesmen of our time, issued that irrefutable admonition. Taken from his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, published by Little Brown & Co, in 1994, it is one of his many iconic postulations in the area of education.

Now, fast forward to 2023, and read the headlines below, taken from some Nigerian newspapers.

● Taraba: Why I Declared State of Emergency in Education-Gov Kefas (Daily Post June 3, 2023).

● Gov Kefas Orders Free Tuition for Primary, Secondary School Pupils in Taraba (Vanguard July 7, 2023),

● Taraba Gov approves N75,000 allowance for corps members (PUNCH, September 24, 2023) and

● Taraba Gov Slashes Varsity Tuition Fees by 50% (PUNCH, July 5, 2023) 

Kefas, full name Dr. Agbu Kefas, to whom those headlines were attributed is the governor of Taraba State, one of the smallest states in the country with a population of 3,331,885, making it the 32nd out of 36 states by population. But by a curious logical inversion, out of the 13.5 million out-of-school children of primary school age in Nigeria in 2021 as reported by UNESCO, Taraba State accounted for 338,973, placing it 12th on the rung.

Going by the total national outlook, one could be forgiven for considering that figure as small. However, when it is realised that it represents over 10 per cent of Taraba State’s total population, that figure becomes statistically significant. Moreover, juxtaposed against Nelson Mandela’s axiomatic statement, that fraction would seem unacceptable and indefensible.

It is reassuring that, so far, the statements and actions credited to Governor Kefas align with Mandela’s position, that it is the mark of responsible leadership to treat access to basic education as the inalienable right of every child, where basic education refers to any level up to secondary school graduation. The United States takes that for granted with the understanding that by age 18, every child should have graduated from high school and in a position to take their destinies into their hands.

Back home in Nigeria, despite pious pronouncements of intent and even policies aimed at domesticating the free education dictum, in practice it has been observed more in the breach as shown by the disquieting army of children, who roam the streets either as beggars or street traders. The net impact is the social dislocation experienced all over the country characterized by drug addiction, crime and criminality. That these children also present a ready pool for recruitment by terror gangs proves the adage that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, that if governments cannot engage their people meaningfully, the devil is always around the corner to find mischievous tasks for them. That is the ugly spectre Kefas, through his bold interventions, is poised to redress.   

For the records, Kefas inherited an educational sector that was crying for redemption. Not for lack of effort by his predecessor, Darius Ishaku, an architect. Though some appreciable improvement had been recorded before Kefas mounted the leadership stable, five months arrears of salaries of primary school teachers prior to May 29, 2023, had lowered morale so much so that during the 2023 May Day celebration, Peter Jediel, Taraba State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) pointedly asked Ishaku who had only 28 days left in office to settle the arrears of teachers’ salaries.

Like many other states, Taraba has also suffered the problem of the discriminatory posting of teachers to schools in urban and rural areas. As usual, wives of top public officers got privileged postings, ostensibly to the urban centres where their husbands worked and resided while the less privileged, who more often than not lacked the requisite academic and professional grounding, were deployed to the rural areas. The result is that the school system is saddled with a combination of disgruntled and, in some cases, unqualified teaching staff who invariably cannot give more than their competences or motivation can provide.

Luckily for Taraba State, true to his background as an officer, and unlike those who would ascend the throne before thinking of what to do, Kefas assumed office clutching a roadmap to achieve both tactical and strategic goals in the education sector. His actions so far demonstrate that he possesses the strategy for exorcising the unholy trinity of poor access, acute shortage of teaching staff and dilapidated infrastructure that have all along bedeviled the education sector in the state.

Thus, in his first press conference three days after assuming office, one of his first major policy statements was to declare a state of emergency in basic and post-basic education in the state. As shown in the newspaper headlines above, the pillars of the education emergency included, free and compulsory education at the primary and secondary levels in the state; 50 percent reduction in fees in tertiary institutions in the state, and a pledge to boost the training and welfare of teachers.

In addition, Kefas capped his revolutionary measures by announcing mind-boggling cash incentives to members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme serving in Taraba State. Under the scheme, NYSC members deployed to the state would be paid N25, 000 every academic term. In addition, those serving in schools would receive an additional N10, 000 monthly. To cap it all, every NYSC member serving in the state would receive a one-off medical allowance of N50, 000 for the service year.

For many reasons, the huge cash incentive to corps members has the potential of being a formidable game-changer in bridging the manpower gap, particularly with the reported upsurge in school enrolment, following the declaration of free education.  Though it is too early to reach a conclusion, it is possible that in one fell swoop, Kefas would have found the solution to the out-of-school children crisis in Taraba State. 

The logic is simple to grasp. At a time of low purchasing power of the Naira, the unprecedented cash incentive, stands out as a clear-sighted approach, even as a stop gap measure, to addressing the shortage of teachers that is at the root of poor performance in examinations in many states of the federation. The disclosure by the Commissioner for Information and Re-orientation, Zainab Usman Jalingo, of the state government’s plan to retain corps members who distinguish themselves, is an added incentive that demonstrates clear-sightedness on the part of the Kefas administration.   

In all, Kefas has demonstrated unparalleled political will in prosecuting a clear education vision, driven by a consuming passion, anchored on a holistic policy and a strategic action plan.

Will he succeed? Only time will tell. It will depend on the governor’s ability to get all stakeholders on board; parents, pupils, religious and traditional rulers, civil society organisations and development partners. Available evidence shows that he has started on a good note. Last week, he paid a thank you visit to Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and to solicit the agency’s continuing support for the revolutionary education reform programme of his administration. An obviously elated Bobboyi promptly assured him of the commission’s support which essence is to provide access to quality education at affordable rates.

Back home, the Taraba State Commissioner for Information and Re-Orientation, Jalingo, evidently echoed a sentiment that runs through the cabinet when she said: “Dr. Kefas, with his bold policies and tenacious commitment, has truly laid the foundation for a new Taraba State. He has set the stage for a brighter future, where education is accessible to all, retirees can enjoy their well-deserved pensions, and the spirit of unity and progress prevails.”

Danboyi is an Abuja-based civil servant from Taraba State