Disbursement of school improvement grants to primary schools

In the name of Allah most beneficent most merciful, may the peace and blessing of Allah SWT be upon His Noble Prophet, Muhammad SAW and members of his family.

It gives me pleasure to always be with local communities in fulfilment of most of our campaign promises. This not only give me hope but shows how important communities are towards making Katsina State great. We will continue to implement projects, programmes and interventions to ensure provision of equitable access to quality education for all, regardless of social status of disability.

Today we are flagging off disbursement of School Improvement Grants (SIG) to 150 Primary Schools across the state. I am made to understand that the schools were selected based on certain criteria including level of dilapidation, number of pupils in catchment communities close to the school and dearth of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in the schools. I was also informed that the School Based Management Committees (SBMCs) are responsible for utilization and management of the funds, on behalf of the benefiting schools and communities. These committees are strongly advised to ensure judicious utilization of the funds, for the purpose for which they are disbursed. The state government will follow up to ensure no one of group of people mismanages the funds for selfish reasons, Similarly the SBMCs are not expected to fold their arms and utilize the SIGs funds alone, they are expected to reach out to other wealthy –

KATSINA STATE MINISTRY OF BASIC AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

STATE UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION BOARD In collaboration with TRANSFORMING EDUCATION SYSTEM AT STATE LEVEL (TESS-BESDA-AF)

PROJECT One Day Flag-Off Ceremony for Disbursement of School Improvement Grant to Selected 150 Primary Schools Agenda TIME 10 :05AM

ACTIVITY National Anthem

RESPONSIBLE All

10:10am

Opening Prayer

Volunteer

10:20am

Welcome address by

SUBEB Chairman

10:25am

The journey so far in Education by Honourable Commissioner Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education

Haj Hadiza Abubakar Yaradua

10:30

Update on Implementation of Haj Binta Abdulmumin TESS project by the State Project Coordinator

10:45

Vote of thanks by

District Head of Batagarawa

11:15

Remarks by His Excellency the His Excellency Executive Governor Mallam Dikko Umar Radda PhD and symbolic presentation of cheques to some of the selected schools

His Excellency

11:20

Wrap up/Closing Prayer

Volunteer

individuals within the catchment communities for their additional support, to ensure all school aged children are back to school and learning until completion. I want to draw the attention of all of us here that, the business of education service delivery is no the responsibility of government alone, we all need to have a rethink on education. Everyone of us has the responsibility of supporting education service delivery, directly or indirectly.

Ladies gentlemen my government has no time to waste in delivering the promises we made during campaigns, we have a lot of projects to executive within four year, we are already in the 9th month of the tenure. I therefore called on all of you to hasten in implementation of pending projects especially avoid unnecessary delays.

Let me also use this opportunity to call on education stakeholders especially community members to ensure they visit their catchment schools, monitoring lessons delivery and teachers attendance, as well report any incident of truancy and absenteeism of teachers. They also have the responsibility of ensuring proper management of structures to avoid vandalization and misuse. It is unfortunate that, many of us have turned public properties into personal use or vandalization, simply because development of the state is only on their lips. I will also like to charge education secretariat, coordinators of Zonal Education Quality Assurances, the Science and Technical Education Board, SUBEB and the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MBSE) to double efforts in ensuring teachers attend their lessons promptly. You should also report to me, any insubordination among teachers and other staff, we not take it lightly on any teacher that abscond from duty without cogent reason.

Ladies and gentlemen you are aware we have recently recruited 7,325 teachers to support effective management of schools especially lessons delivery by teachers I have already directed the Honourable Commissioner in the Ministry to ensure any teacher who refused the initial posting, can simply reject the offer of appointment, and resign from the service, there are many people waiting of the opportunity.

I want to also call on all stakeholders especially the District Head of Batagarawa, the Honourable Chairman of the local government, the member representing the local government at the State House of Assembly, the Education Secretary of the LGEA, the DPO, NUT chairman, Imams and other youths organizations to ensure they visit schools under the LGA and ensure all pupils and students attends school regularly and teachers are not absconding from their duties. This call also goes to all other LGAS. We must work together and in harmony to bring the state back to its glory days when education is a priority for all and sundry.

At juncture I want retterate commitment of my administration of ensuring full support to education service delivery like we do for other sectors of development in the state. We will continue to work within the capacity of the state, to ensure all citizens of the state have access to safe and secure atmosphere of learning. I am aware the state is implementing the safe school declaration, this will equip out children with the need knowledge and skills to stay safe and help other in time of need.

It is also important for us to note that, after construction or renovation of schools, maintenance of the facilities is not the responsibility of the government alone, we all must ensure the projects are safeguarded through supervision and punishment to anybody founds vandalizing them. I want to thank Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, under the leadership of Honorable Hadiza Abubakar Yar'adua, the Executive Chairman SUBEB, the Executive Secretary Science and Technical Education Board, the Chairman Teachers Service Board and all other directors and staff of the parastatals, for all your support to this administration. We need your continuous support and synergy to achieve maximum success before the end of our tenure. Like I always say we don't have time, we only have 4 years to deliver the mandates and promises made to during our campaign.

Finally I call on beneficiary schools for the SIG to ensure proper utilization of the funds to delivery reforms for their people, we will also put eyes and ensure the funds are not mismanaged in any way. SBMCs have responsibility of ensuring every stakeholder is involved throughout the process of utilizing the money In the name of Allah the beneficent the merciful, I hereby flaff off this disbursement, may Allah help us all.