28th January, 2017
Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Saturday said his government had procured 5,000 tablets for distribution to teachers in public schools to enhance the teaching profession in the state.
He said this while speaking as the chief host at the 24th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Zaria Education Development Association (ZEDA) held in Zaria.
El-Rufa’i, who was represented by Prof. Andrew Nok, the Commissioner for Education in the state, said this was also to modernise the profession in the state.
The state government had procured 5,000 tablets for onward distribution to public school teachers in line with the set objectives, the governor said.
He said that the state government was planning to eradicate the use of blackboards in public schools across the state to reduce the health hazard being faced by teachers.
According to him, the government is planning to give intensive ICT training to public school teachers in the rural areas to ensure that they cope with the present e-learning challenges.
The governor said about N3 billion had been committed to infrastructure development in unity schools across the state.
The governor had earlier inaugurated a multi-million naira 100-seating-capacity e-library at the ZEDA secretariat.
Also, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT), ZEDA, Prof. Idris Abdulkadir, said that ZEDA had since its inception 25 years ago, geared its energy toward the educational development of children in Kaduna State and Nigeria at large.
The former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission (NUC) said some of the association’s past achievements include; organising remedial programmes, vocational programmes, quiz and essay writing competitions for students.
Others are:, JAMB clinic and friends’ scholarship scheme, construction of classrooms and digital training and examination centre.
Similarly, Dr Abdul Alimi-Bello, chairman, Central Working Committee (CWC) of ZEDA, stressed the need for commitment from all and sundry to enable children to gain admissions into universities and other institutions of higher learning.
“This is why ZEDA is committed to making sure that all children are not left out of the school learning system.”
Alimi-Bello said that the association had more laudable programmes for students but was being handicapped by funds to implement them.
He appealed to well-meaning Nigerians to support the philanthropic gesture of ZEDA toward complementing the efforts of government in education development of the young ones.
The Emir of Zazzau, Dr Shehu Idris, pleaded with members of the society especially well-to-do and elites to commit their time and resources to the noble project of education.
The Emir, who was represented by Fagacin Zazzau, Alhaji Umar Mohammed, lauded the achievements recorded by ZEDA and urged them to keep the flag flying to enable more people benefit from their laudable project.
The Proprietor of Prof. Ango Abdullahi International School, Zaria, Dr Aliyu Shamsuddeen, announced a 50 per cent scholarship to 50 students from ZEDA to study in his primary and secondary schools.
Shamsuddeen said the gesture was part of his contribution towards the educational development of children from the area.