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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Minister of Education Prof Tahir Mamman has denied rumours that ransom was paid to the bandits for the release of the 287 abducted Kaduna school children, insisting that nothing of such was done.
The school children who were kidnapped on March 7 at Kuriga in Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, were said to have been rescued in the early hours of Sunday by men of the Nigerian Army at somewhere in Zamfara State.
The Minister, however, disclosed that in the process of rescuing the children, a teacher who was among the kidnapped victims lost his life.
The Minister stated this in Abuja, at a two-day capacity-building workshop for desk officers of the federal ministry of Education headquarters, parastatals, tertiary institutions and federal government colleges on the implementation, collation, harmonization and reportage of presidential priority areas/ministerial deliverables and roadmap for Nigeria’s education sector.
He appreciated the efforts of the Kaduna State government and the Security Agencies coordinated by the National Security Adviser, which culminated in the safe return of the school children, and assured that stronger measures are being taken to strengthen security in all educational facilities across the country.
The Minister also disclosed that plans are at an advanced stage for the conduct of what he described as a “mini-census” across all educational facilities in Nigeria. “This will involve collating data on infrastructures in the schools, teachers, other personnel, and even data on the children in the schools. We would work closely with the state government in doing so.
“This, undoubtedly, will expose us to real-time information of what’s obtained in our schools. Additionally, it will help us greatly in formulating policies and programmes that would particularly assist us tackle the issue of out-of-school children, infrastructural deficit and manpower challenges.”
He, thus challenged the participants to take advantage of the workshop to key into the government plan for the education sector, and not be weaklings on the chain of progress.
“In the course of the training, you will be exposed to eight priority areas of the administration; the 23 ministerial deliverables which we signed with the President to deliver to Nigerians; and the 13 pillars of the education for Renewed Hope: Nigerian Education Sector Roadmap 2024-2027. These policies are our working tools and our commitment to implementing them is topmost,” he said.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, who was represented by Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, the Permanent Secretary, the Federal Ministry of Education, said the training was particularly apt as it provides a platform for all stakeholders in the Ministry to finalize their report of activities, programmes and projects for timely and immediate submission.
He said: “It’s our hope and expectation that this training will upskill and enhance your capacity to qualitatively track, collect, collate, harmonize and report the activities, programmes and projects in your various departments and organizations.
“I implore you to be attentive to the presentations, learn, unlearn and relearn for a better and world-class education service delivery.”
