Zulum Flags Off Mega School Projects in Hawul, Targets Out-of-School Children

Zulum Flags Off Mega School Projects in Hawul, Targets Out-of-School Children

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has kicked off the construction of two mega secondary schools in Hawul Local Government Area as part of renewed efforts to reduce out-of-school children and strengthen education delivery in southern Borno.

During a two-day working visit to the council, Zulum also laid the foundation for a 48-classroom High Islamic College (HIMC) in Shafa community along the Biu–Garkida–Gombi road. The facility, he explained, will operate under the accredited curriculum of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) and is tailored to blend modern and Islamic education for learners in the south senatorial zone.

“This college, after completion, will provide a holistic and modern Islamic education,” the governor said at the foundation-laying ceremony on Wednesday. “It will integrate digital knowledge, numeracy, literacy and vocational skills, in line with our campaign promises to empower young people and fight poverty.”

Zulum stated that the HIMC model is intended to produce students equipped with both formal and authentic Islamic knowledge, bridging the gap between religious study and employability.

A second mega school project was unveiled in Marama town, aimed at expanding access to quality learning facilities across all 27 LGAs in the state. Zulum disclosed that a two-storey school building with 36 classrooms and modern educational amenities will be constructed in the area.

He further announced plans to bolster the teaching workforce, revealing that more teachers will be recruited to complement the existing 4,000 currently in the public school system.

“Due to the shortage of qualified teachers, we must recruit competent ones who are indigenes of Marama community to teach in this mega secondary school,” he said, assuring residents that his administration remains committed to delivering on promises and transforming the education sector.

The governor was accompanied by the Commissioner of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Abba Wakilbe, who jointly performed the foundation-laying.

Beyond the education sector, Zulum also visited the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Azare, a facility rehabilitated and donated by the Borno State Government to accelerate its take-off and improve healthcare service delivery in the southern senatorial district.

Other newly commissioned projects in Hawul included a shopping complex and several market stalls designed to stimulate commerce and grow the council’s internally generated revenue.