Ex-Governor Aliyu Babangida Is Worried About the Prevalence of Unqualified Teachers in Northern Schools

Former Governor Aliyu Babangida has expressed concern over the high number of unqualified teachers in schools in the Northern Regions.

He said none of the 19 states in the North has up to 50 per cent qualified teachers in the schools.

Babangida, who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sir Ahmadu Bello memorial foundation, stated this at a conference organized by the foundation in Abuja to deliberate on the future of education in the North.

According to him, it was the responsibility of the foundation to rise to the challenge because education was the bedrock of any prosperous society.

During his tenure as the governor of Niger from 2007 to 2015, Aliyu encountered disheartening conditions in schools, where hundreds of children had to sit on bare floors, and some schools had only three teachers for classes spanning from 1 to 6.

He stressed the importance of NCE as a minimum requirement for teachers and lamented the erosion of its foundation.

According to him, he took proactive steps during his tenure, ensuring that teachers were paid promptly, with a cap not exceeding 25th of every month, in pursuit of better educational outcomes.

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On his part, the chairman of the organising committee and secretary of the Board of Trustees of the foundation, Ibrahim Shekarau said the north despite its rich cultural heritage, historical significance, and abundance of human resources, unfortunately lags behind in terms of educational development compared to other regions in the country.

Shekarau emphasised the need for urgent action, stating, “These findings are not meant to discourage us, but rather to serve as a wake-up call for urgent action.

“Education is the bedrock of any prosperous society, and it is our collective responsibility to address these challenges head-on.”

He stressed the importance of collaboration and innovation, noting, “It is only through collaboration, innovation, and a shared vision that we can bring about tangible change.”

On his part, the minister of information, Mohammed Idris, raised critical questions about the state of leadership and education in Northern Nigeria lamenting the lack of progress in the region 60 years after the demise of Sardauna of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello.

In his address, he emphasised the pivotal role of inspiring and purposeful leadership in driving societal change and development.

Idris questioned the events that have transpired between 1966 and the present day, underlining the need for Northern Nigeria to engage in introspection and return to the drawing board.

He called for a thorough examination of where things have gone wrong and the implementation of necessary corrections.