NEDC EXPLAINS ESTABLISHMENT OF MEGA SCHOOLS IN ADAMAWA

The North East Development Commission has explained the educational benefits of establishing mega schools in the three senatorial districts of Adamawa State, saying the initiative is aimed at bridging the education gap between children in rural communities and those in urban areas.

The Adamawa State Coordinator of the NEDC, Alhaji Khalifa Lawan, told Arewa PUNCH in an exclusive interview on Wednesday that education is the fourth pillar among the commission’s 11 development pillars.

“Our 11 pillars for the development of the North-East have education as the fourth pillar. The goals are recovery and renewal through rebuilding educational facilities destroyed or damaged by years of conflict in the North-East region of Nigeria.

“We are constructing modern schools across the senatorial districts, such as in Guyuk, Song and Mubi South, to ensure balanced access to quality education.

“We are also providing fully equipped classrooms, administrative offices, staff quarters, and independent water and power utilities such as solar power and boreholes,” he stated.

Lawan pointed out that the design of the mega schools had addressed the problem of students staying away from classes and teachers failing to report to work by providing staff quarters, electricity, clinics, water and other facilities for the convenience of both students and staff.

“The mega schools built by the NEDC are designed like private universities. The students’ hostels are fantastic. Both the students and staff have everything they need on campus for their maximum comfort,” he said.

The coordinator said that for any meaningful development to take place in any country, citizens must have quality education to enable them to understand the importance of the facilities provided by the government and other agencies.

“Most of the youths vandalising public property do so out of ignorance. If not, how can someone go and cut down poles for solar-powered streetlights meant to provide security for the community and boost small businesses in the area?” he asked.

He said the commission was taking deliberate steps to promote education in rural areas to ensure that children from poor backgrounds also had access to quality education without relocating to cities.

Lawan said, “The location of the mega schools in the three senatorial districts of Adamawa State sends a clear message that quality education is for all citizens.

“In the Southern Senatorial District, the mega school is located in Guyuk Local Government Area because it is far from Yola, the state capital. Song Local Government Area in the Central Senatorial District, where we located another mega school, and Mubi South are also far from the state capital.”

The Adamawa State coordinator urged residents of communities where the NEDC had built mega schools to protect the facilities in the interest of their children.