The Jigawa State Government has renovated 587 schools damaged by floods and recruited 3,420 teachers in the past two years.

This was disclosed on Thursday in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, by the Commissioner for Higher Education, Professor Yusuf Chamo, during an interactive session with journalists on the two-year journey of Governor Umar Namadi’s administration.

“The renovation of 587 schools damaged by floods is a significant achievement, providing a safe and conducive learning environment for students,” he said.

According to the professor, the recruitment drive included 1,100 J-teach teachers, 72 degree holders, and 149 first-class graduates who were given permanent teaching positions.

The commissioner highlighted the government’s commitment to improving the quality of education in the state, saying that the Ministry of Higher Education has also redeployed over 2,200 degree holders from the State Basic Education Board to the ministry.

“This move is expected to enhance the teaching capacity and expertise in the state’s education sector,” he added.

To boost the capacity of teachers, Prof. Chamo explained that the government has trained the teachers 15 times in key subjects such as English, Mathematics, and Science, adding that “the school heads have also received training to enhance their motivation and effectiveness in teaching and learning administration.”

In addition to teacher training, he further disclosed that during this period, the Jigawa State Government distributed modern teaching aids, including whiteboards and pens, to schools across the state.

“This initiative aims to improve the learning environment and outcomes for students,” he noted.

Furthermore, Prof. Chamo revealed that the government has also renovated regional education offices and taken steps to motivate teachers.

Speaking about teachers’ who had been in the same school for several years, the commissioner stated that “those teachers were given new opportunities through the conversion of boarding schools and return schools into workplaces as many of them were transferred to other schools to boost their experience.”

However, he noted that in the period under review, the Jigawa State Government had carried out the fencing project of about 120 schools to further enhance the security and infrastructure of educational institutions.

The don who also emphasised the government’s commitment to improving education in the state, stressing that “The government’s efforts to improve education are expected to have a positive impact on the state’s human capital development.”

“By investing in teachers and infrastructure, Jigawa State is laying a solid foundation for future growth and development,” he concluded.