As part of efforts to implement the National Policy on Education target of reducing the trekkable distance of students to school, the World Bank is funding the construction of 150 new secondary schools across the 34 local government areas of Katsina State, North-West Nigeria.
Governor Dikko Radda who laid the foundation for one of the 150 schools in Koda-Dambuna in Charanchi Local Government Area also disbursed N100 million each to 15 selected schools for renovations, provision of furniture, procurement of educational materials, and school running among others.
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The construction of 150 new secondary schools in Katsina State began with the foundation-laying exercise for the first phase of 75 schools.
Governor Radda who performed the exercise said, to hit the ground running, contractors have been fully mobilised to the site with 30% of the total sum which when completed, will ease education stress on the less privileged in the state.
The State Project Coordinator of World Bank funded Adolescents Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, AGILE, Dr. Mustapha Shehu said a total of 72, 900 classrooms to accommodate 45 students each will be constructed for both junior and senior secondary schools under the mega grant.
While expressing optimism that the 75 new schools in phase one will be completed in 15 months, Dr. Shehu stressed that it is all part of efforts to make access to education easier for the poorest of the poor who trekked more than 12 kilometres to access school.
According to the AGILE Project Coordinator, each of the 34 local government areas will have not less than three new secondary schools, depending on its population size.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
