BESDA distributes books to Tsangaya schools in Bauchi

Better Educations Service Delivery for All (BESDA), in collaboration with Bauchi State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), has distributed text and exercise books and other learning materials to Tsangaya schools and Girl-Child learning centres in Bauchi Local Government Area.

BESDA is a World Bank and Federal Government of Nigeria programme aimed at mopping out-of-school children in 17 states of the federation.

Under the initiative, a total of 3000 teachers were selected and trained to carryout classes in all the Tsangaya schools with the aim of enrolling 73,000 children in the first phase of the integrated scheme in Bauchi LGA.

Coordinator of BESDA, who is also the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Dr. Abubakar Dahiru Bauchi, said at the flag off of distribution of the items at Gudun Hausawa village, that the benefitting schools were identified during a mapping exercise.

“When the mapping was conducted we discovered a total of number 73,395 out of school children and so far the state has surpassed its target of 58,000 set by BESDA out of which 33,000 are males and 25,000 are females.

“We have completed the data capture of pupils in 931 Tsangaya centres with 49,534 pupils out of the number 35,037 are male and 14,497 are females. Data capture on the identified Girl child center is ongoing and is expected to end in early March 2020.’’

He said about 2000 teachers would be engaged to train the pupils, while the centres would be provided with boreholes, toilets among other facilities to ease learning.

Responding, one of the teachers, Malam Muhammad Auwal, thanked the state government for the initiative.

The Village Head of Gudun Hausawa, Malam Umar Tukur, charged parents, guardians and teachers to embrace the scheme and support the process so as to save the future of the children.

“We must all support this initiative that will give opportunity to our children to learn both Islamic and Western education. We must take ownership of the project as way of salvaging the future of our children.”