The Federal Government has stepped up the implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for Education with the commissioning of a renovated digital e-library at the Federal Government College, FGC, Kano, while reaffirming plans to expand bilingual schools and proceed with the proposed land swap initiative at the college.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during an inspection tour of key Federal Government education projects and institutions across Kano State.
He was accompanied by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, alongside senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, and the Kano State Ministry of Education.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister, Mr. Ikharo Attah, the inspection covered the Bilingual School in Ungogo, the JICA-supported Junior Secondary School in Lenge, Federal Government College, Kano, the National Commission for Mass Education, NMEC, office in Kano and the Tarda Smart School.
At the Bilingual School in Ungogo, the minister expressed satisfaction with the pace of work, revealing that the project had reached about 90 per cent completion and was on track for delivery before the end of August.
He directed that recruitment of teachers and other operational preparations begin immediately to ensure the school admits its first set of pupils in September.
Alausa also disclosed that a third bilingual school would commence academic activities at the start of the 2026 academic session, while a fourth would become operational by June 2027.
He described the initiative as a strategic response to the challenge of out-of-school children, particularly Almajiri pupils, by integrating them into the formal education system while equipping them with relevant knowledge and life skills.
According to the minister, the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative has helped return more than one million out-of-school children to classrooms over the past 24 months.
He stressed that the government’s focus extends beyond enrolment to ensuring that learners remain in school through improved teaching quality, better infrastructure and enhanced learning outcomes.
During the inspection of the JICA-supported Junior Secondary School in Lenge, Tofa Local Government Area, Alausa examined ongoing construction of classrooms, perimeter fencing and water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.
He announced that the existing junior secondary school would relocate to the new site on completion, while the old structures would be converted into a primary school with additional Federal Government support for renovation and furnishing.
At the Federal Government College, Kano, the minister commissioned the upgraded digital e-library, describing it as a major milestone in the government’s efforts to prepare students for a technology-driven future.
The facility is equipped with solar power, air-conditioning, modern lighting systems and about 80 digital computer workstations designed to enhance digital literacy among students.
He revealed that the current administration inherited 36 abandoned e-library projects across Unity Colleges but, through UBEC’s intervention, 16 have now been completed and rehabilitated as part of efforts to modernise public schools nationwide.
On the proposed Public-Private Partnership land swap arrangement at FGC Kano, the minister dismissed concerns over the initiative, insisting there was no going back on the project.
He explained that responsibly utilising underused portions of the college’s land would generate resources for the construction of additional classrooms, hostels and other essential infrastructure needed to improve students’ learning environment.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that every policy translates into better opportunities for our students. We have no interest other than providing quality education and improved infrastructure for Nigerian children,” he said.
Alausa also assured alumni and other stakeholders that the Federal Government remained open to constructive partnerships that would accelerate the development of the institution and improve educational infrastructure.
The minister later visited the National Commission for Mass Education office in Kano and the Tarda Smart School, where he assessed programmes aimed at promoting foundational learning, digital innovation and lifelong education.
A major highlight of the visit was the presentation of an Artificial Intelligence-powered school application developed by a student to improve teaching, learning, school-parent communication, attendance monitoring and access to learning resources.
Impressed by the innovation, Alausa directed UBEC’s Director of Digital Platforms and Analytics to engage the student with a view to supporting further development of the application.
The Kano State Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna, commended the Federal Government for its sustained interventions in the state’s education sector, describing the collaboration between both tiers of government as instrumental to ongoing improvements in access to quality education, infrastructure and learning outcomes.
He added that the state’s education reforms align with the Renewed Hope Agenda and expressed confidence that the partnership would continue to deliver lasting benefits for learners across Kano State.
