By; ZUBAIRU ABDULLAHI SADA
The wife of Kebbi State Governor, Hajia Zainab Nasare Nasir Idris has raised concerns over high number of out of school children in the state.
She emphasized the urgent need for parents to stand on their feet to their moral and religious obligations by supporting government in providing the needed quality education for their wards and children.
The governor’s wife spoke in Birnin Kebbi, while interacting with female leaders of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and National Union of Kebbi State Students (NUKESS).
According to a statement issued to newsmen on Wednesday by her Press Secretary, Khadijat Sa’idu.
She noted that, the lack of access to quality education was among remote causes pushing young people into banditry, kidnapping and other social ills.
The governor’s wife promised that the state government would ensure students learnt skills and trades in their lower levels of education with a view to becoming self-reliant and move away from social vices.
The Governor’s wife also urged students to take active part in her crusade towards creating awareness on hygiene and GBV assuring that she would come up with a programme to tackle some of the disturbing social challenges in the state.
Earlier, the Parmanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Hajiya Muhammad Maikurata, Permanent Secretary noted that beside the issue of OSC, GBV is fast alarming, pointing out that, over 39 rape cases were recorded between January and June across Kebbi state.
” It is regrettable that GBV has become rampant in Kebbi state”.
She called on students to be vigilant and assist in exposing GBV cases with a view to putting an end to the menace.
Also, wife of the Secretary to the State Government, Hajiya Asma’u Bala-Tafidan Yauri attributed the problems of education to numerous factors stressing the need for periodic training and re-training of teachers for qualitative education in the state.
In the same direction, Hajiya Asma’u appealed to privileged wealth to do individuals to extend their support to the society by assisting their former schools in whatever form to enhance access to quality education.
Earlier their respective views on the barriers to accessing quality education, the President NUKESS, Bahalura Muhammad-Marafa and Zinatu Yusuf of NYCN lamented over shortages of teachers, hostel accommodation and basic infrastructure in most schools in the state while advocating for free menstrual pad and other basic needs to address the problem of menstrual hygiene among young girls in the state.
