By Aideloje Ojo
Minna
Niger State Government is to deploy one million computers and tablets to all government schools in the State.
Farmer Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, disclosed this at the traditional and religious leaders conference on the significance of girls education in North Central Geo political zone of the country held in Minna.
The Programme was put together by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning & Empowerment AGILE, the Niger State Ministry of Basic education and the Sultan Foundation.
According to him, ” the world has moved on technologically, therefore the procurement of the computers and tablets which has commenced, is to ensure that pupils and students in government schools have access to the gadgets”.
He also disclosed that the State Government has laid fibre optics cables, to provide free internet services to public Schools and other government institutions, explaining that the pilot scheme of the initiative will soon commence in Minna.
He said, “the State Government is in tandem with the vision of AGILE in ensuring that the girl child is educated; hence, the State Government has a 10-year programme which will provide Scholarships to 1,000 females every year to study Nursing, medicine and other medical related courses”.
The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar in his remarks, said the ultimate goal of conference is for the traditional and religious leaders to champion and campaign for the girl child education.
The Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, represented by the Director in the Ministry who is also the Principal of Federal Government College Minna, Suraju Darda’u highlighted the crucial role of traditional and Religious leaders in the society and enjoined them to intensify actions in creating awareness among their subjects on the need to educate female children.