UPDATE: Zamfara reopens 45 schools as insecurity subsides

Zamfara State government has reopened 45 out of the 75 schools it closed down over insecurity, the Ministry of Education declared on Wednesday in Gusau.

Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Kabiru Attahiru, made the disclosure when he received members of the state’s Technical Team on Education in Emergencies who paid advocacy visit to the ministry.

The state government directed the shutting of the schools in September 2021 following the abduction of students of Government Day Secondary School, Kaya, in the Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

“While reopening the schools, we categorised them into three groups – Green, Yellow and Red.

“Green were schools located in areas without security threats, the Yellow group is for schools located in areas with little threat of insecurity, while the Red ones were schools in those areas with high security risks,’’ Attahiru explained.

He said all the 75 schools fell into the Red group at the time of their closure as it was dangerous to allow them to remain open.

“Today, I am happy to inform you that as a result of improvement of security in the state, we reopened 45 out of the 75 schools, while only 30 of the schools remained shut.

“Government and security agencies have been working together to ensure improved security in the state.

“We are hoping for more improvement in security in the state so that we can reopen the remaining 30 schools,’’ he said.

The permanent secretary commended the EiE team for the visit and assured of the ministry’s commitment to continue to partner with all stakeholders to promote the education sector in the state.

“This is a welcome development. I consider this team as partner in progress. I am giving you assurance of total support and cooperation of the ministry,’’ he added.

Earlier, the team leader, Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdu-Gusau, said that the visit was to advocate for the establishment of Education in Emergencies Working Group in the state.

Abdu-Gusau who is the Director, Planning Research and Statistics in the ministry, said the advocacy visit was also part of activities to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child.

In his remarks, the team’s deputy leader, Dr Ahmad Hashim, said the EiE team was formed by the Development Research and Project Centre.

“The DRPC is an NGO based in Kano working on girls’ education, public health and livelihoods, among others,’’ Hashim said.

He appealed to the ministry to give necessary support and cooperation to ensure that the objectives of the EiEWG were achieved.

This, he said, could be done by implementing the national policy on safety, security and violence-free schools and safe school activities in Zamfara.

NAN