To further strengthen the policy of free and compulsory primary and secondary schools education, as one of the main thrusts of his administration, governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state received Roadmap for the policy implementation.

The event took place at Ante-Chamber, Government House, Kano, Monday, with Dr Kabiru Shehu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Free and Compulsory Education, leading the team.

It is a team of 54 members partitioned into 14 sub-committees for effective and efficient deliberations. The committee’s membership was drawn from experts in education sector, development partners and other stakeholders that are also specialists in the area.

It was designed in such a way that technical contributions could be accessed from those who understand the concept of education very well.

Parts of the fundamental objectives of the technical committee was to seek a way for drastically reducing the number of out-of-school children, to integrate Islamiyyah and Tsangaya system into conventional system of education, to see to the overall development of the state, by way of improved education system, among others.

The document suggests some phases for the implementation. Each phase with its peculiar contents. Phase I consists of initiation, planning and reviewing of all relevant education policies. So also other Phases with their focus, each.

Receiving the roadmap, governor Ganduje said “There are 3 variables that are behind the policy statement of free and compulsory primary and post-primary schools education, right from the onset. We are dealing with problems of accessibility, affordability and sustainability.”

Explaining that the idea of roadmap was a kind of framework to be used in order to go about implementing the policy very well, emphasising that, “It is more like a fine tuning process.

“All Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should critically have a look at this document and see what can be added or adjusted. As we are laying the foundation, we believe it must be solid.

So that the incoming administrations can have a platform for forging ahead. We need commitment and coordination to work with this effectively,” he said.

After acknowledging that, financing education is a herculean task, he listed some of the ways the state is using in seeing that education in the state is financed effectively.

He reveals that, “Apart from the budgetary allocation of over 26 percent in our fiscal document, we have Education Trust Fund, we have avenues for some levies,

we have community participation, there is in place, Corporate Social Responsibility from corporate organisations and development partners are also there among others.”

He argued that, when there is well articulate programme at hand, with transparent posture, development partners would respond positively.

“You must make sure that the issue of data is being handled very well. We must always strive to have accurate data. Data is very critical in governance. Development partners also need to work and partner with accurate data all the time,” he directed.

In a statement by Abba Anwar the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary said All development partners and other experts who were at the meeting, exhibited their unflinching support and cooperation for the the policy implementation.