The Jigawa State Government has declared a state of emergency on education with the unveiling of far-reaching reforms aimed at addressing poor literacy levels and building a stronger learning foundation across the state.
Governor Umar Namadi explained that the decision followed a baseline survey which revealed that eight out of every ten pupils in Primary One could neither read nor write.
“Education is the bedrock of any society. Our findings were alarming, so we had to act fast,” the governor said in an interview with PUNCH.
As part of the reforms, the administration split the Ministry of Education into two departments, Basic Education and Higher Education, to reduce bureaucracy and ensure better management.
To tackle the acute shortage of teachers, Namadi announced that his government confirmed 3,000 of the 4,500 J-Teach temporary staff as permanent and pensionable, recruited another 3,000 new teachers, and employed 4,200 more at the senior secondary level. This brought in more than 10,000 teachers within a few months.
The governor also noted that his administration empowered School-Based Management Committees and introduced Mothers’ Forums to strengthen school monitoring and parental involvement.
He explained that SBMCs are now tracking teacher attendance while mothers ensure children attend classes regularly, a move he said has improved both discipline and learning outcomes.
Jigawa also engaged NewGlobe, a UK-based education consultancy, to support improvements in literacy and numeracy. According to Namadi, the partnership is already producing “remarkable outcomes” in primary schools.
The state further integrated the Almajiri system into formal education by renovating Tsangaya schools and building three mega boarding Tsangaya institutions, each designed to accommodate 1,500 pupils. These schools combine Quranic learning with literacy, numeracy, and vocational training while farming their own food to remain sustainable.
At the higher education level, the government converted the School of Basic Studies in Bamabara into an Institute of Vocational Training equipped with N25 billion worth of modern facilities.
Eight secondary schools were upgraded to vocational excellence centers to produce middle-level manpower, while the State University of Technology was strengthened to provide advanced opportunities for graduates.
On teacher development, Namadi disclosed that more than 7,000 teachers at the basic level and 4,800 at the higher education level have already received training, with continuous programs being implemented through the NewGlobe partnership. About 10,000 teachers are also undergoing competency assessments to guide future training needs.
“Our goal is to build a professional, well-equipped, and motivated teaching workforce,” Namadi said, adding, “We are laying a solid foundation for the future of Jigawa.”