Kano state Government says uplifting the standard of education is among the cardinal objectives of the current leadership of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.
The State Commissioner for Higher Education, Dr. Mariya Mahmud Bunkure stated this during an exclusive interview with Radio Nigeria’s correspondent in Kano.
According to the commissioner the state government has released over one hundred million naira as allowances for lecturers sponsored by the state government to study masters and doctorate degrees programme in France.
She explained that a bilateral agreement has been signed between the state government and french government, where over 60 lecturers studied masters and phD from the year 2016 to date, in addition to others studying in Cyprus and 41 undergraduates that graduated from various universities across the world.
“Over 276 courses have been fully accredited across the 8 state owned higher institutions. Recently some of the institutions brought to the notice of the ministry that some courses are due for accreditation,we asked them to put it in writing and have been submitted to his excellency who approved the immediate release of funds”.
Dr. Mariya Bunkure pointed out that preparations were in top gear to commence exchange programs with various universities within and outside the country as part of efforts to upgrade the status of education in the state.
She described education as the bedrock of every society as such the state government had provided free and compulsory education as well as allocating 26% of the total budget to education.
“With all the policies of free and compulsory education, which we are trying to improve from the basic to tertiary institutions. Not only primary and secondary education will be given free. People with special needs were also given the opportunity to study free of charge”
Dr. Mariya Mahmud Bunkure called on parents to complement government’s efforts by contributing their own quota through sending their children to school and inculcating moral values to achieve the desired objectives.
She urged the general public to abide by protocols of covid 19 as mapped out by NCDC to curtail the spread of the deadly disease..
KHADIJAH ALIYU