Gusau: Zamfara State Agency for Nomadic Education has recorded a significant increase in pupil enrolment and graduation across the state. The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Alhaji Bala Tafidah, made the disclosure during a visit to the Commissioner of Education, Science, and Technology, Malam Wadatau Madawaki, in Gusau.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Tafidah stated that the agency received a N200,000 donation from the Zamfara State Zakat and Endowment Board and benefitted from the distribution of learning materials from the National Commission for Nomadic Education. Tafidah mentioned that support pledges were also received from several government bodies, including the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry for Budget and Economic Planning, Mass Education Board, Community Social Development Agency (CSDA), and the FADAMA III programme.
Tafidah highlighted the mass enrolment and graduation of pupils from nomadic schools across the state. However, he expressed concerns over the shortage of teachers in the nomadic schools, which has led the agency to engage volunteers. He pleaded with the state government to either increase the monthly cash allocation or absorb the volunteers into the state’s payroll, noting that stipends for these volunteers consume more than half of the agency’s allocation. Tafidah emphasized the urgent need for the government to recruit qualified teachers to manage nomadic schools.
In response, Commissioner Madawaki reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing education in the state. He announced that the recruitment of new teachers would begin once the ongoing civil service verification committee completes its assignment. Madawaki also instructed the agency to submit the names of absentee teachers for appropriate disciplinary action and promised to follow up with organizations that pledged support to the agency.