Jigawa Flags Off Education Support for 48,300 Girls, Targets Better School Retention Abdullahi Idris, Dustse

The Jigawa State Government has commenced the distribution of educational support materials to female students in post-basic schools as part of efforts to improve girls’ school attendance, retention and learning outcomes.

Governor Namadi doing the flags off in Dustse jigawa capital 

Governor Malam Umar Namadi, who flagged off the distribution in Jahun on Friday, said the state would continue to prioritise investment in girl-child education as a key component of its development agenda.

The intervention comprises 48,300 school uniforms, 15,000 school bags, 40,000 sanitary pads, 4,000 sets of writing materials and 40,000 exercise books, aimed at reducing the financial burden of schooling on families and helping girls remain in school.

Namadi said education remained central to his administration’s vision of building a healthier, more productive and prosperous society.

“Our administration therefore sees investment in education not as expenditure, but as the most strategic investment in the future of Jigawa State,” he said.

The governor explained that the intervention was designed to address some of the barriers affecting girls’ attendance and retention, noting that educating girls produces wider benefits for families and communities through improved health, household income and social development.

He disclosed that the government had also awarded contracts for the provision of additional educational support materials at the basic education level.

According to him, the package includes 22,500 school uniforms for junior secondary school students and 11,000 uniforms for nomadic schools, alongside school bags, sandals, school boxes and exercise books.

The intervention will also cover Tsangaya and integrated Qur’anic education, with 3,800 uniforms to be provided for Almajiris enrolled in integrated Tsangaya schools through the Tsangaya Education Board.

Namadi said the objective was to combine moral and Qur’anic education with literacy, numeracy, life skills and opportunities for productive citizenship.

The governor, however, stressed that providing educational materials alone would not guarantee improved learning outcomes.

“Materials alone will not educate a child. It is the commitment of the family, the dedication of the teacher, the support of the community and the discipline of the student that will convert these interventions into real learning outcomes,” he said.

He called on parents, teachers, traditional and religious leaders, school-based management committees, civil society organisations and development partners to support the government’s education reforms.

Namadi reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving teacher quality, school infrastructure, learning materials, girl-child and inclusive education, as well as reforming Tsangaya education to ensure that every child in the state has access to quality learning opportunities.