From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse
A State Level Accountability Mechanism popularly referred to Jigawa Education Accountability Forum (JEAF) created with the support of Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) has commended the Jigawa State government for the approval of N779,269,895.00 to supply the critical teaching and learning materials for qualitative basic education in the state.
The effort which is response to the yearnings on the Forum channeled through 4-Quarter worth of advocacy engagement on mobilizing resources for the procurement of additional Teaching and Learning Materials and improving incentive package for School Support Officers ((SSOs).
The commendation was contained in a statement by Co-Chair JEAF, Malam Tasi’u Abubakar, and made available to news men in Jigawa State.
Malam Tasi’u recalled the technical support they received from PLANE in conducting a spot check on the availability and utilization of TLMs in Schools in Jigawa State and the quarterly advocacy activities they conducted on the same theme, leading to the Jigawa State Government taking the bold step of setting aside this huge amoung of monies to intervene in the sector.
According to the statement, “JEAF and other education partners happily commends the Jigawa State government under the leadership of Governor Malam Umar Namade for his effort to transform the education sector and ensuring quality basic education for all children.”
The statement then assured more cooperation and support to state the government to achieve its target of providing quality basic education to all children in the state.
It could be recalled that, Jigawa State, the State Executive Council on its last meeting, approved the award of contracts on education sector, at the sum of Seven Hundred and Seventy Nine Million, Two Hundred and Sixty Nine Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ninety Five Naira (₦779,269,895.00) .
The fund is mainly for the supply of critical teaching and learning materials, as well as mobility support for school supervision (68,850 textbooks, 700 whiteboards, 3,000 cartons of erasable markers, 295 motorcycles (Hunter model) for use by School Support Officers (SSOs) across all 27 Local Government Areas of the state).
The council maintained that this intervention is part of the ongoing implementation of the educational transformation agenda of His Excellency, Malam Umar A. Namadi FCA, aimed at improving learning outcomes, equipping classrooms with essential teaching tools, and strengthening school-level supervision and accountability.
“The provision of textbooks and teaching aids will enhance the quality of instruction in primary and junior secondary schools, while the supply of motorcycles will significantly improve the mobility and effectiveness of SSOs, ensuring regular monitoring, mentoring, and support to schools across rural and urban areas.
The council added that “This strategic investment underscores the Namadi administration’s commitment to revitalizing the education sector, ensuring equitable access to quality education, and creating a conducive learning environment for every child in Jigawa State”.
Jigawa Education Accountability Forum (JEAF) serves as an accountability mechanism supporting education reforms in Jigawa State, working side by side with other civil society organisations.
