The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education has applauded the unprecedented achievements recorded in basic education sector in Gombe State, attributing the feat to the clear vision and mission of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya as well as his commitment to service of his people.
The Chairman of the committee Professor Julius Ihonvbere gave the commendation when he led his collegues on a courtesy visit to the Governor.
The members who were in Gombe on an oversight function to assess the UBEC/ SUBEB intervention projects, lauded Governor Yahaya for putting into judicious use, the resources allotted for basic education.
“Our responsibility is to conduct an oversight and see how the matching grant and other resources from the federal government are deployed”, he said.
Applauding the state government’s commitment in developing education from the grassroot, Prof. Ihonvbere said among all the states the committee had visited, Gombe state stands out as a role model.
“We have been to so many states where we have seen schools without perimeter fencing, no play ground, no water, no toilet, classrooms are dilapidated, no furniture, and even children sitting on the ground in 2021. Your Excellency Sir, Gombe has shown that all these issues I have mentioned can be addressed, we commend your efforts in setting the pace and urge other state to borrow a leaf from Gombe”, he said.
The committee lauded Governor Yahaya’s move to tackle the challenges bothering basic education in the state, singling out the establishment of teachers’ resource center at Kwami as a great achievement that will help in building the capacity of teachers.
“No matter how good a pupil is, with a bad teacher they are going nowhere. “And your recognition of the need to empower teachers intellectually demonstrates clearly that you know where the problems are and you are ready to tackle them” he added.
The National Assembly nember also praised the Governor over the establishment of Alabura Model Primary School in Kumbiya-Kumbiya Quarters which is under construction, describing it as a landmark project, adding that “locating that kind of facility and edifice in that particular area shows that you understand very clearly how to use institutions to promote growth and development”.
The chairman expressed his satisfaction with the calibre of people Governor Yahaya has assembled to work with him, describing them as “competent hands” and urged the governor to continue with his good policies and programmes.
The federal lawmaker commended the hospitality accorded to them in Gombe State and also applauded the good road networks, the 3G project among others, describing them as enviable projects that make Gombe stands tall among its peers.
“We were impressed by what we saw in Gombe State in terms of infrastructures, human resources and other developmental projects”.
Responding, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya described the visit of the committee as apt and timely,expressing optimism that such engagements will bring good tidings to Gombe State.
He told the lawmakers that despite the effort his government is making towards building educational facilities and boosting capacity of teachers, the state’s social infrastructures provided by his administration are stressed by the influx of internally displaced persons from the neighbouring states that are facing security challenges.
The governor noted that despite these challenges, his administration is not relenting in discharging its responsibilities. “That does not deter us from remaining steady and steadfast in trying to meet our own obligations” he said.
Going down memory lane, Governor Inuwa Yahaya recalled that before becoming Governor, he had identified the problems bedeviling basic education in the state and after assuming office he immediately swang into action.
“On 29th September, 2019 we declared a ‘state of emergency’ on education and that helped us to use whatever means possible, through whatever way to see that the bad narrative has changed”.
The Governor assured of his admininistration’s continued commitment towards putting education on the right track, pledging to continue to do more in order to augment the developments recorded so far.
“Gombe is really up and doing and our leadership means business. We thank you for the encomiums and we want to assure you that we shall do more.
“We shall do more than what you saw so that we catch up with the rest of the country and the world”, he added.
He enjoined the committee to support the Federal Government in giving basic education the priority it deserves. “I would like to urge the committee to look deeper into how the Federal Government can leverage on the available resources to support basic education”.
The governor called for a symbiotic relationship between the Federal and State governments, noting that the success of any good policy of the Federal Government depends on the good and cordial relationship between the two arms.
