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From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi government has invested about N1.59 billion on 590 Early Child Development (ECD) centres across primary schools in the state.
Executive Chairman of State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), Prof. Suleiman Khalid Jega, stated this during the celebration of the 2026 International Day of Play at Kaura Gwandu Model Primary School, Birnin Kebbi.
The day was celebrated by SUBEB, in collaboration with UNICEF to ensure the rights of the child to play in a protected and safe environment.
Professor Jega explained that the administration of Governor Nasir Idris placed more priority on early child education.
“We received an average of millions in our intervention programme, 15 percent of the money annually are paying on ECD centres. Roughly N1.50 billion goes to these ECD. This is just to develop about 590 centres because in the state, we have about 2,000 primary schools.
“Within these primary schools, we have 590 ECD centres and our enrolment figures stood at 54,000.”
Jega said the state government invested huge resources because the administration believed that the foundation in learning processes were very important.
“So, huge resources are spent on those centres, where we do normally deploy the resources in providing learning equipment in our classrooms, rehabilitation and reconstruction of structures for the ECD and provisions of modern playing equipment.”
He commended the development partners, especially UNICEF, for supporting child’s development processes in the state with their funds and human resources.
UNICEF’s focal person, Mr. Nuhu Haruna, noted that the day was sent aside globally by UNICEF to enable children to have freedom to play and thanked all the stakeholders for participating in the event.
The Executive Secretary of SUBEB, Alhaji Umar Hassan, while explaining the objectives behind the day, noted that the day was set aside to ensure children have the right to play.
According to him, “By allowing the children to play, it would help them rapidly improve their cognitive, psychomotive, emotional and social development. This would help a lot in moulding their knowledge and learning processes in our schools.”
He added that regular playing would help pupils in the schools to have good retention memories which would project them for brighter future education challenges.
The schools invited for the play day were Atiku Bagudu Model Primary School, Zaina Gwandu Primary School, L.I.B.C, Umaru Ilelu MPS, Gwandu Emirate Primary School, Magajin Rafi MPS, Magajin Gari MPS, Nasarawa Primary School and Kaina Gwandu Primary School.
The pupils participated in various games, fun, spelling games and cultural dancing, among others
