From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
Ahead of preparations to reopen schools following the facing out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has approved the sum of N4.66 Billion for school feeding programme of primary and secondary school students.
The state Commissioner for Education, Malam Muhammad Sanusi Sa’ad Kiru who stated this during the opening ceremony of a Computer Literate Workshop on preventive measures of COVID-19, for school principals held at the Ministry of Education, said all arrangements have been made to pay teachers allowances and other entitlements.
He said following the hike in prices of foodstuff, Governor Ganduje graciously approved the upward review of allocation lfor school feeding up to the tune of N4. 66 billion.
Malam Muhammad Sanusi, however, urged the principals to ensure that students are being fed with quality meals, warning that diversion of the foodstuff or funds made for the school feeding programme will not be tolerated.
He tasked teachers to reciprocate government efforts by dedicating themselves to duty and ensure that children left under their care get the kind of education, discipline and training they deserve.
The Education Commissioner also recalled that during the just concluded WAEC examinations, Kano state government opened 538 schools, including private schools which were all fumigated and provided with all the required COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment such as face mask, sanitizer as well as sitting arrangement which depicted social distancing.
He said adequate measures have also been made to ensure a hitch-free NECO examinations, adding that in the whole country, Kano remains the only state that provided students sitting for WAEC and NECO examinations with face masks, sanitizers and other PPEs to ensure prevention of the dreaded pandemic during the academic exercise.
Speaking during the event, the state Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba maintained that Kano state remains one of the best states in Nigeria that committed a lot of resources in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Malam Garba who warned that COVID-19 is a reality urged the participants to take the workshop very seriously a impact whatever knowledge they must have garnered to their students.
The Information Commissioner also expressed happiness that for over seven weeks the WAEC examinations lasted, there were no case of COVID-19 among the students.
He commended the Ministry of Education for putting adequate measures in place to ensure safety of students writing examinations during the era of the pandemic.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa urged the participants to make use of the knowledge they derive from the workshop towards ensuring that students are well informed on how best to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Tsanyawa, however, expressed happiness that Kano has continued to record low cases of the pandemic even as many people are subjecting themselves to test.
He alluded the positive development to the high level of awareness created by the state government.
