Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the governor of Gombe State has expressed his desire to see the state at the forefront of providing quality education in Nigeria.
The incumbent governor of the “Jewel in the Savannah” as Gombe is nicknamed made the declaration as the state joins the rest of the world to mark this year’s International Day of Education.
Yahaya, in a message to commemorate the day, said his administration will not relent until the goal of repositioning the sector for effective and efficient service delivery is achieved.
The governor noted while accentuating the theme of this year’s celebration, ‘Changing course, transforming education’, that with the measures put in place in Gombe State, his administration has succeeded in changing the negative narrative hitherto associated with, especially basic education in the state.
“The declaration of a state of emergency in education in Gombe State by our administration saw a sudden departure from the prism of a narrow window dressing to a broad and holistic approach towards addressing the numerous challenges confronting the sector, especially at the basic level, which is the most critical stage in human development.
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“Today, the situation in the education sector, particularly at the basic level, is gradually and steadily changing for the better and to the benefit of the younger generation. Aside from the massive construction, renovation, and remodelling of schools and staff quarters, we have also established a state-of-the-art Teachers Resource Centre (TRC) in Kwami, the first of its kind in the North-East sub-region, for the training and retraining of teachers,” Yahaya stated.
The governor specifically expressed his delight with the gradual upscale in students’ performance in external examinations. Besides, he revealed that with the state of emergency declared by his administration, a lot has been achieved, especially in basic education through putting up classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and provision of the necessary infrastructure for quality education.
Describing education as the cradle upon which development indices are measured, the number one citizen of Gombe State assured the people that his administration will continue to take the needed steps that will address all gaps and challenges bedevilling the education sector.
International Day of Education is observed every year on January 24 to celebrate the role of education for peace and development.
This year’s celebration marks the fourth since it was proclaimed in 2018 by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The theme, “Changing Course, Transforming Education”, highlights the need for a new way forward in transforming the education sector.
