By Alabi Abdul
The Kaduna state government is set to deploy technology-driven solutions to tackle teachers’ absenteeism, a growing challenge affecting the education sector.
Stakeholders at a meeting organised by the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) in Kaduna, discussed key issues facing education, including shortages of teachers, inadequate infrastructure, and absenteeism among employed teachers.
The Director of Planning, Kaduna State Ministry of Education, Salisu Lawal Baba, said some teachers in the state had been found to hire unqualified substitutes to teach in their place while they paid them a fraction of their salaries.
“We have identified cases where teachers delegate their duties to others in their local areas. To address this, we are working with a consultant who has developed a school management solution to monitor teachers’ daily attendance,” he said.
He commended Governor Uba Sani for allocating N206 billion—the highest budgetary share—to education this year, describing it as a strong commitment to addressing sectoral challenges.
In his presentation, Ayuba Usman of Save the Children highlighted the PLANE Window 3 initiative, which focuses on ensuring inclusive education for marginalized children, especially girls and children with disabilities.
He said the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) project is a multi-donor initiative aimed at ensuring access to quality primary education for children aged 6–18 years.
“Adequate attention will be given to infrastructure, provision of learning materials, and creating child-friendly environments to sustain enrollment and participation,” he said.
On the Education Cannot Wait – First Emergency Response (ECW-FER) project, he explained that it seeks to provide urgent educational support for children affected by crises, including armed conflict, displacement, and climate-related disasters in the North-West.
Similarly, Hajiya Zaynab Marna Lukat, System Strengthening Technical Lead for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, said her organization had constructed 60 new schools across Kaduna’s 23 LGAs, with major renovations in Birnin Gwari.
She said the new schools, equipped with well-stocked libraries and adequate teachers, have helped return out-of-school children to classrooms.
“This project wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the Kaduna State Government, as AGILE is a government initiative aimed at transforming education in the state,” she added.
@Blueprint Newspaper