By Grace Udofia
The Nigerian Government has begun the rebuilding of schools in the troubled North East region that has faced destruction by activities of Boko Haram insurgents.
The government is doing this through the North East Development Commission (NEDC) a department of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
Managing Director of the Commission, Mohammed Alkali, disclosed this on Saturday in Gasua, Yobe State.
According to him, the initiative would address the current problem of insufficient classrooms is those schools heavily affected by Boko Haram attacks.
The Yobe government had provided land for the building of new primary and secondary schools in Potsdam, Buni Yadi (Gujba) and Gahsua (Bade) Local Government Areas.
He explained that, the problem in primary and secondary schools in the North-East region is due to activities of insurgents.
Akali said, “Insurgency and other factors had made the region highest on the poverty index and lowest in literacy rate and highest in poverty.
“The destruction of schools by the insurgents had disrupted primary and secondary education in the region.
“Widespread poverty coupled with insecurity, has rendered an estimated 600,000 young people unable to go beyond the primary or secondary school levels.
“As such, millions of the out of school children in the Region remain uneducated, justifying the need for massive intervention in the development of school infrastructure.
“Consequently, the commission resolved to construct three composite mega schools or upgrading of existing ones in each states of the region, thus making 18, one in each of the Senatorial District.
“We are also going to complement the physical structure with soft support like teachers’ training, curriculum and upgrade”.
The Governor of Yobe State Mai Mala Buni, in his response commended the commission’s gesture, adding that it was timely and desirable
Buni who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Abdullahi Yusuf noted that the projects was in line with his government’s policy. He appealed to members of the community, local government authorities and the Emirate Council to take ownership of the projects.
