Northern Pulse

By Sani Idris Abdulrahman

The Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB), has flagged off the distribution of 174,366 textbooks, 190,175 exercise books and 32,343 school uniforms to public schools across Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that other materials included; 3,675 pairs of school sandals, 3,675 school bags, 40,175 pencils, 36,000 biros, 36,000 rulers and 2,788 sports equipment items for pupils statewide.

Speaking at the flag off on Monday in Kaduna, Executive Chairman of KADSUBEB, Mr. Mubarak Muhammad, said the intervention reflects government’s unwavering commitment to strengthening basic education delivery.

He described the items as more than numbers, saying they represent opportunity, dignity and renewed hope for thousands of children across the state.

Muhammad explained that the provision of textbooks would improve instructional delivery, while exercise books would enhance practice, retention and overall learning outcomes in classrooms.

He added that uniforms, sandals and school bags would promote inclusion and reduce socio-economic barriers that often prevent children from attending school regularly.

According to him, when federal, state institutions and development partners align strategically, measurable impact becomes inevitable, particularly in foundational literacy and numeracy development.

He stressed that the board’s mandate goes beyond infrastructure to improving learning outcomes and ensuring no child is left behind due to lack of basic learning materials.

Muhammad appreciated, the Commissioner for Education, education secretaries at Local Government Education Authority level, school heads and teachers for sustaining the system.

In a remarks, Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Dr. Aisha Garba, said the exercise was not merely about distributing materials but about strengthening hope.

Garba, represented by the Commission's Acting Director of Academic Services, Mrs Zipora Banguru, said the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which places education at the centre of national development.

Garba said that human capital development begins at the basic education level, where strong foundations in literacy, numeracy, values and skills are laid.

She outlined the commission’s statutory mandate to coordinate implementation of the Universal Basic Education programme, disburse intervention funds to states and the Federal Capital Territory, and ensure quality, access, equity and accountability.

The executive secretary acknowledged the leadership of the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, and Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed for strengthening reforms across the education sector.

She disclosed that nationwide, the commission is distributing more than one million school bags, shoes, pencils and exercise books, alongside 8,369,514 assorted teaching and learning materials for Early Childhood Care Development and Education and primary schools.

Garba added that 567,180 teachers’ guides, 419,293 library resources for junior secondary schools, 1,480 interactive smart boards, 287 computers and digital literacy centre equipment for 37 centres are also being deployed.

She further revealed that more than 2,000 schools are undergoing renovation, underscoring the scale of federal intervention in the sector.

Describing the Kaduna distribution as collaborative governance in action, she urged that every item must reach classrooms and translate into measurable learning improvements.

The National Team Lead of Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), Mr. Samuel Achimugu, said the board’s leadership has delivered visible improvements in education over the past four to five years.

He said the programme has supported foundational literacy and numeracy in Kaduna, with recent learning outcomes showing that children are making measurable progress.

Achimugu disclosed that english transition materials are being tested in 138 schools, with 1,033 cartons supplied, including materials for Primary Two and Three pupils.

He said 1,183 teachers’ guides for Primary One to Three English literacy and 200 cartons of flashcards for Primary One pupils have also been provided.

According to him, the initiative supports transition from mother tongue to english in line with federal government's language policy directives and aims to strengthen children’s english proficiency.

He appealed to the state government to scale up the materials across all 23 Local Government Areas once the pilot phase proves successful.

Special Adviser on Vocational Training to Governor Uba Sani, Murjanatu Shika, congratulated the board and described the distribution as a success story for the state.

She said Governor Uba Sani remains passionate about education and youth development, noting the establishment of three vocational centres in Kaduna.

NAN reports that PLANE supported with some of the leaning materials.(NAN)