Nigeria: Gov Lawal Approves 120-Day Intervention Plan for Zamfara Education

Governor Dauda Lawal has approved a 120-day Rapid Intervention Action Plan to address critical systemic failures in Zamfara State's education sector.

He gave the approval when he presided over the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Gusau, on Monday.

In a statement, Sulaiman Bala Idris, spokesman of the governor, gave an insight into what obtained at the meeting.

"As part of the deliberation of the 65th Council of the present administration, issues related to education, health, work, and other sectors were discussed and approved.

"The Council approved a 120-day rapid intervention plan that builds on prior diagnostic activities conducted by the Ministry and the Education Quality Assurance Agency (EQAA).

"The rapid plan, as presented to the Council by the overseeing commissioner of education, Abdulmalik Abubakar Gajam, includes payroll audits, school mapping exercises, and infrastructure assessments. It proposes targeted, time-bound interventions across governance, infrastructure, digital transformation, teacher development, and student welfare.

"The Council also approved the formation of a joint committee to immediately assess all illegal or unapproved structures built around schools in Zamfara State, with a view to relocating them and securing the school environments. The committee, under the leadership of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MOEST).

"The Zamfara State Executive Council approved a single, unified Education Sector Bill (ECCDE to Tertiary) in consultation with stakeholders (agencies, institutions, Civil Society, Traditional Rulers, and Development Partners) for Zamfara State, a draft Bill to be presented to the State House of Assembly for enactment within the emergency timeframe," the statement read.

Furthermore, the governor approved the transfer of non-teaching staff (messengers, labourers, gardeners, cooks, guardsmen, drivers, health workers, artisans, etc.) from the Ministry's payroll to appropriate MDAs (CPG, MoH, Establishment) or private firms.

"The Council, among other important issues, approved the composition of the Zamfara State Steering Committee on the State of Emergency on Education and authorised the Committee to constitute a Technical Working Group (TWG) and co-opt stakeholders (NUT, UNICEF, UBEC, traditional/religious leaders, private school proprietors, CSOs)."

Read the original article on Daily Trust.