North East Development Commission, NEDC, yesterday disclosed that 1, 800 teachers of the Basic Education segment from the six states of the North-East have been trained to improve their skills as part of efforts aimed at addressing the insecurity problems in the region.
The Acting Board of Trustees’ Chairperson, Hajiya Asmau Mohammed made the disclosure in Gombe at the launch of the NEDC Education Endowment Fund NEDC-EEF to support education development in Gombe and the North-East in general.
“I’m pleased to inform you that the fund has early this year commenced the implementation of its planned programmes.
“Already, 1,800 teachers of the Basic Education segment from the six states of the North-East, have been trained to improve their skills so as to impart knowledge in their respective areas of competence. Another batch of 1,800, including school administrators will soon be selected across the states to benefit from the same training. Similarly, a total of 115 schools have been selected and contracts have been awarded for the construction of one of three classrooms each, with the supply of school desks and learning materials,” she said.
She said the management and board of the North-East Development Commission considered it necessary to put in place a special purpose vehicle to address the educational needs of the six states of the North-East.
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According to her, this noble objective of the commission came to fruition when its governing board approved the establishment of the Education Endowment Fund on the 12th of December 2019 and inaugurated its Board of Trustees in August, 2020.
She said, “This is to chart a robust support trajectory for the recovery of our decaying education infrastructure and human resource base. Since then, the Education Endowment Fund has embarked upon this daunting task through skilful planning and programme development in the following critical areas.”
She listed the areas to include: Teachers Training, Resource Mobilisation, Scholarship and Grants, Technical, Vocational and Educational Training (TVET), Special Projects; which will involve campaign against drug abuse, cultism as well as the promotion of sports in the schools.
Others are Basic Education Intervention component focusing on renovation of classrooms infrastructure, building of new ones, provision of desks and teachers’ furniture as well as other instructional materials, training for nurses, midwives and community health workers and welfare support for women and girls.
The Managing Director of NEDC, Mohammed Alkali said the commission is reconstructing the Gombe Abba to Kirfi road in Bauchi State in order to enhance socio-economic activities between Bauchi and Gombe states respectively.
He said the NEDC is committed to achieving a secure, healthy, prosperous and peaceful Region.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Manassah Jatau commended the commission for its various intervention in the state but added that more still needs to be done to improve the lives of the North East people.