We have school of 5,000 pupils without classrooms – Kano Govt

The Kano State Government has decried the state of education in the state, saying there is a school of more than 5,000 pupils without classrooms and a standard toilet.

The state Commissioner for Education, Umar Haruna Doguwa, disclosed this on Wednesday while receiving a team from the British Council in his office.

Doguwa reiterated the government’s commitment to continue working closely with the British Council to address challenges surrounding the education sector.

He revealed that the state was facing serious challenges undermining the progress of education and affecting the future of its younger ones.

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Doguwa said it was time to revive the long existing relationship between the Kano State Government and the British Council as the state embarked on creating policies and programmes aimed at promoting the education sector.

He maintained the Council’s support to Nigeria and Kano State in particular in the area of education remained very commendable but there was a need for more to complement the effort of the present administration of revamping the sector.

“In Kano now, you have a school with 5,000 pupils without a standard toilet, no classrooms and seats. So the problem is serious and pathetic.

“In addition to this, we can find a school with 300 students without a teacher at the same time sitting on the window or bare floor,” the commissioner disclosed.

Doguwa stressed that Kano needed 1.5 million seats for its students at primary and post primary schools the cost of which he estimated at billions of naira.

He pointed out that the interventions expected from the British Council in Kano on education were many, urging the Council to come to assist the state in addressing the lingering situation.

The commissioner however decried the increase in out-of-school children in the state and assured the public of the present administration’s determination to minimise the situation.

“Today, we have 1.5m out of schools, a situation that has to be looked into because having people that are redundant is like creating ground for insecurity.

“So, we need to work together and establish more schools in Kano with all the needed facilities as obtainable in Britain,” Duguwa pleaded.

Earlier, the team leader of the British Council delegation, who is also the Council Director Programme in Nigeria, Chikodi Onyemerela said his team was in the commissioner’s office to strengthen the long existing relationship between the British Council and the government and people of Kano, particularly in the area of education.