Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has flagged-off free and compulsory basic education with 834,366 pupils.
Flagging off of the programme at Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium yesterday, Ganduje said the programme would cost government N200m monthly and N2.4bn annually.
Governor Ganduje explained that 1,180 schools with population of 834,366 pupils were selected for the free and compulsory education programme.
He added that 52 mega schools out of the selected schools would receive direct funding from the government and that each principal of the benefitting schools would give account of the money spent on monthly basis.
The governor said government had also provided free uniforms to 779,552 newly enrolled pupils at the cost of N381m.
“To ensure effective implementation of the programme, government has abolished payment of school fees for primary and junior secondary schools’ pupils in the state as from September 16, 2019.
“Kano state government has engaged 3,000 volunteer teachers to teach in primary and Tsangaya schools in the state. Government will also spend N235.7m on feeding of primary 4,5 and 6 pupils to support the federal government’s home grown feeding programme for primary 1,2 and 3 pupils,” he said.
Ganduje added that the World Bank on its part had provided 790 digital classrooms to Kano state as support to the free and compulsory education programme in the state.
The governor, urged all stakeholders in the education sub-sector to support his administration towards, reaffirmed his commitment towards making the programme successful in the state.
At the flagging off of the programme, governor Ganduje presented cheques to 110 schools including 10 Tsangaya schools that were selected to enjoy direct funding from the state government.
