2027: Education secretaries, ALGON back Uba Sani For second term

The Forum of Education Secretaries in Kaduna state and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kaduna state chapter, have endorsed Governor Uba Sani for a second term, citing what they described as significant transformation in the basic education sector.

The endorsement was announced in Kaduna on Thursday at a press conference addressed by the Chairman of the Forum of Education Secretaries, Adamu Mu’azu.

Speaking on behalf of education secretaries serving the 23 local government education authorities, Mu’azu said the forum had reviewed developments in schools and communities across the state before passing a vote of confidence in the administration.

“Having reviewed the developments within our respective local government education authorities and the documented innovations presented in this statement, the Forum of Education Secretaries of the State passes a vote of confidence in the administration of His Excellency,” he said.

He said members had also resolved to support the continuation of the administration beyond 2027, describing the position as an institutional decision based on their assessment of developments in the education sector.

Mu’azu said the administration’s interventions included the construction and rehabilitation of schools, provision of water and sanitation facilities, furniture, instructional materials, vocational facilities, teacher recruitment and capacity building.

He said the government had facilitated the construction of four bilingual education schools in Igabi, Zaria, Kubau and Kudan, providing 192 classrooms with capacity for about 7,680 learners.

According to him, more than 33,000 teachers, headteachers and school support officers had received training in computer skills, classroom management, literacy, numeracy and school management information systems, while 8,730 School-Based Management Committee members had also been trained.

Mu’azu also commended the implementation of the new minimum wage for teachers, clearance of promotion backlogs covering 2021 to 2024 and commencement of the 2025–2026 promotion exercise.

He welcomed the planned recruitment of an additional 10,000 teachers, saying it would help address staffing gaps arising from increased enrolment and newly constructed facilities.

However, he said the gains in the sector would need to be sustained through proper maintenance, effective teacher deployment, strong school leadership, adequate water and sanitation, security and continuous monitoring of learning outcomes.

“The measure of success is not only the number of supplies, but their ability to improve classroom practice and learning outcomes,” he said.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of ALGON and Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Area, Dauda Madami, said the association was joining the education secretaries in supporting the governor, adding that local government chairmen had witnessed the impact of the interventions in their respective communities.

“On behalf of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Kaduna State chapter, we join the Forum of Education Secretaries to celebrate the remarkable progress made in basic education across Kaduna State,” Madami said.

He said the interventions had resulted in more children being enrolled, more classrooms provided and more teachers trained and deployed, describing the development as evidence of the governor’s commitment to basic education.

Madami cited the renovation of a school in Afobokurita, which he said was originally constructed in 1976 and was recently handed over after extensive rehabilitation.

“This school was first constructed in 1976. Only last Saturday, it was handed over after 50 years. It has never happened in my local government, and most schools are on the way to renovation,” he said.

He pledged ALGON’s continued collaboration with the state government on school enrolment, community mobilisation and engagement with School-Based Management Committees.

The Forum of Education Secretaries said it would continue to work with government agencies, local councils, traditional and religious leaders, parents, development partners and civil society organisations to improve enrolment, attendance, retention and learning outcomes across Kaduna State.