In Borno State, Northeast Nigeria, where Boko Haram insurgents have caused the displacement of thousands of residents, Governor Babagana Zulum has enrolled nearly 7,000 IDP Children in schools.
In Monguno on Monday, the governor revealed this to reporters, saying, “Today we are here in Monguno for only one purpose, to enrol the out-of-school children into schools.”
He claims that the majority of students enrolling in schools are orphans whose parents were slain during the Boko Haram conflict in Borno State’s northern regions.
“The youngsters, who were between the ages of 6 and 13, were enrolled in primary and junior secondary schools, depending on their academic standing, before the militants drove them out of their communities in Monguno, Kukawa, and Guzamala.
“After numerous attacks on communities in the aforementioned LGAs since 2014, residents including thousands of children escaped to Monguno town to live in IDP camps for years, with many children missing school,” he said.
The governor praised guardians and parents for the significant turnout in front of the mass enrolment of their wards and minors.
Zulum also went to a location in Monguno that he had designated for the Federal Polytechnic and evaluated the ongoing construction and refurbishment work there.
The Governor oversaw the building of a new hostel, staff housing, and an administrative building at the Federal Polytechnic.
Zulum had already given the school N100m in order for it to start operating as soon as President Buhari gave his approval in January 2021.
The Governor also paid a visit to the polytechnic where he observed the construction of the zonal office of a newly established monitoring and evaluation unit, from which some trained people will oversee public institutions including schools and hospitals.
The education commissioner, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, the chief whip of the House of Representatives, Barrister Mohammed Tahir Monguno, and the APC’s senatorial candidate for northern Borno traveled to Monguno with Governor Zulum.