Zamfara reopens 45 schools as insecurity subsides

The Ministry of Education announced on Wednesday in Gusau, that 45 of the 75 schools that the Zamfara State government had closed due to insecurity, have now been reopened.

Alhaji Kabiru Attahiru, the ministry’s permanent secretary, revealed this to members of the state’s Technical Team on Education in Emergencies who visited the ministry to advocate for themselves.

After pupils from Administration Day Secondary School, Kaya, in the state’s Maradun Local Government Area were kidnapped, the state government ordered that all schools close in September 2021.

“While reopening the schools, we categorised them into three groups – Green, Yellow and Red.

“Green were schools located in areas without security threats, the Yellow group is for schools located in areas with little threat of insecurity, while the Red ones were schools in those areas with high security risks,’’ Attahiru explained.

He said all the 75 schools fell into the Red group at the time of their closure as it was dangerous to allow them to remain open.

“Today, I am happy to inform you that as a result of improvement of security in the state, we reopened 45 out of the 75 schools, while only 30 of the schools remained shut.

“Government and security agencies have been working together to ensure improved security in the state.

“We are hoping for more improvement in security in the state so that we can reopen the remaining 30 schools,’’ he said. The permanent secretary commended the EiE team for the visit and assured of the ministry’s commitment to continue to partner with all stakeholders to promote the education sector in the state.

“This is a welcome development. I consider this team as partner in progress. I am giving you assurance of total support and cooperation of the ministry,’’ he added.

Earlier, the team leader, Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdu-Gusau, said that the visit was to advocate for the establishment of Education in Emergencies Working Group in the state.

Abdu-Gusau who is the Director, Planning Research and Statistics in the ministry, said the advocacy visit was also part of activities to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child.

In his remarks, the team’s deputy leader, Dr Ahmad Hashim, said the EiE team was formed by the Development Research and Project Centre.

“The DRPC is an NGO based in Kano working on girls’ education, public health and livelihoods, among others,’’ Hashim said.

In order to ensure that the goals of the EiEWG were accomplished, he pleaded with the ministry to provide the required backing and collaboration.

He stated that Zamfara could do this by putting into practice the national strategy on safety, security, violence-free schools, and safe school activities.

GOGAN TV