Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has approved the provision of free daily meals and ₦300,000 incentives for pupils and their parents to tackle low school enrollment in northern Borno.
Zulum announced the measures on Friday in Gajiganna town, where he also inaugurated the Higher Islamic College, designed to blend the traditional Almajiri education system (Sangaya) with formal learning.
“We must establish deliberate measures to promote education in northern Borno. In this town with a total population of about 50,000 people, only 90 students were enrolled in a secondary school. It is imperative to ensure that these students complete their studies.
“To achieve this, we are approving stipends of ₦250,000 for their fathers, ₦50,000 for each of their mothers, and ₦50,000 each for the students themselves, alongside one free square meal daily,” the governor said.
Zulum stressed that the intervention was aimed at encouraging parents to send their children to school and addressing the education gap in areas severely affected by over a decade of insurgency.
The governor explained that the new Higher Islamic College would operate under a curriculum approved by the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), which combines Islamic scholarship with science, mathematics, technology, and foundational English.
“Our goal is clear: to provide our children, especially Sangaya learners, with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in today’s world. Our reforms safeguard the cherished values of traditional Islamic scholarship while introducing modern subjects and vocational training,” Zulum stated.
As part of his engagements in Gajiganna, Zulum also commissioned the Government Day Secondary School, which will serve as a referral centre for hundreds of pupils completing their primary education in the town.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Wakilbe, commended Zulum’s achievements, noting that his administration had delivered 104 mega schools in six years, with 35 more at various stages of construction.
“This is a remarkable achievement that reflects not only infrastructure but vision, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to generations yet unborn,” Wakilbe said.
The event was attended by Senate Chief Whip, Mohammed Monguno, Senator Kaka Lawan, members of the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the State Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, APC Chairman Bello Ayuba, SSG Alhaji Tijani, and other senior government officials.
