Benue, Muslim community partner to boost enrollment,

Benue State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) has called for strong collaboration with the Muslim Community to promote the enrollment of children—particularly girls—in Basic Schools, and to partner on infrastructural development in nomadic schools across the State.

The Executive Chairman, Dr. Grace Adagba, made the call during a visit to the Chief Imam of Benue State, Sheik Dr. Suleiman Habib, at the Central Mosque in Wadata, Makurdi as part of SUBEB’s broader campaign to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the state.

Addressing the Muslim faithful, Dr. Adagba expressed concern over the high number of out-of-school children in Muslim communities in the state. Noting that basic education is a collective responsibility, she appealed to religious and traditional leaders to support the campaign by sensitising their communities on the value of education.

She commended Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia for his continued support to the basic education sector, stating that basic education has received the highest budgetary allocation under his administration. She said the Governor’s interventions have led to significant achievements, including the construction of modern storey-building classrooms, replacement of chalkboards with whiteboards, revival of sports and craft activities, and prompt payment of teachers’ salaries to boost staff morale among others.

The SUBEB boss also revealed that the Board manages 31 nomadic schools across the state. While 23 are functional, eight have been affected by crises in the past administration. She called on stakeholders to partner with the Board to rebuild the affected schools.

The SUBEB boss also disclosed plans to launch a “Catch-Them-Young” campaign, targeting community-based sensitisation to boost school enrollment.

On teacher recruitment, Dr. Adagba assured applicants that the process remains transparent and fair, emphasising that no applicant who has undergone biometric capture will be left out in the issuance of employment letters.

Chief Imam of Benue State, Sheik Suleiman Habib, commended Dr. Adagba for initiating the visit and described it as the first of its kind. He lauded the Alia administration for its visible transformation in basic education, stating that Dr. Adagba’s appointment was a “round peg in a round hole.”

He also acknowledged SUBEB’s efforts in upgrading the Arabic School in Wadata and appealed for the domestication of Almajiri schools in Benue, as done in other States. The Imam pledged the commitment of the Muslim Elders Council to support SUBEB’s mass enrollment drive.

Chairman of the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) of Arabic Primary School, Alhaji Danladi Umaru, expressed gratitude to SUBEB for selecting the school for upgrade. He assured the Executive Chairman of the community’s support for education programmes and encouraged her to remain focused despite distractions.