The Kwara State Government has on Thursday distributed at least 120,000 customized exercise books and 2000 instructional materials to pupils of public primary and junior secondary schools in the state in a bid to aid learning at that level of education.
Also distributed were 1,600 cartons of white chalk to the affected schools to strengthen capacity and provide enabling grounds for quality teaching in the government owned schools.
While flagging off the distribution in Ilorin the state capital, Governor AbdulRahmam AbdulRazaq, said the gesture underscores his administration’s commitment to give a solid foundation to kwara child to find their feet in life.
The Governor, who was represented at the event by his Special Adviser on Strategy Alhaji Saadu Salau, said the exercise further indicates that the government is living no stone unturned to achieve its set objectives in the sector, adding that the administration has equally invested much resources in the development of school infrastructure and human capital development.
“Today we are fixing school facilities in more than 600 locations in the state. Our administration has also ensured that teachers are paid as and when due while promotion arrears are being paid one after the other,” he said.
He added that the government has also implemented the full minimum wage in a way that was never seen before in the recent history of the state.
Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board (Kwara SUBEB) Prof Sheu Raheem Adaramaja, in his remarks, said the distribution of the materials was part of the Governor’s effort to reposition the basic education and create conducive environment for pupils and students to thrive, adding this will go a long way in placing Kwara on a sound footing educationally.
“Let me quickly commend the effort of Your Excellency Governor AbdulRazaq for his response to the yearnings and aspirations of all workers in the state through the regular payment of teachers’ salaries and implementation of the minimum wage with the consequential adjustment.
“The government has also settled arrears of salaries and promotion owed by the previous administrations, to motivate an excellent performance on the part of teachers. AbdulRazaq is the first governor in the state that has massively invested in the provision of basic infrastructure for the improvement of basic education.
In attendance were some top government officers, including the State Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu; her counterpart in the Communications Hon. Saddiq Buhari; and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications Mrs. Christina Ashonibare, among others.
