Hon. Mahmood Lawal Ismail, Chairman of the House Committee on Education at the Kaduna State House of Assembly, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring safe learning environments and promoting girls’ education across the state.
Speaking during a program organized by the Centre for Girls Education (CGE) in Zaria, the lawmaker commended the Centre for its continuous efforts in sensitizing and supporting girls to return to school and empowering them to become self-reliant.
He described the initiative as timely and impactful, noting that CGE has made remarkable progress in enlightening women and girls who were previously left behind in education. “We have witnessed, seen, and felt their impact. The Centre is doing its best, and we assure them of our continued support,” he said.
Barrister Mahmood disclosed that the Kaduna State House of Assembly is already working on a bill to provide legal backing for Safe Spaces in schools, which will help protect students against harassment, intimidation, and any form of abuse within learning environments.
“We are working on the bill to ensure our children are safe in their schools and free from any fear or harassment. That’s the essence of what they are advocating for, and I assure them it will be addressed,” he stated.
He further highlighted the ongoing education reforms initiated by His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, noting that over 10,000 out-of-school children have been re-enrolled and mainstreamed into basic and post-basic schools under the “Reach Out-of-School Children” program.
The lawmaker also commended the governor’s efforts in renovating and constructing new primary and secondary schools across all local government areas to sustain the state’s policy of free and compulsory basic education.
“Security, which once posed a major challenge to education, has significantly improved due to the proactive efforts of the government. About 60% of previously closed schools have been reopened, and more will follow soon to ensure every community benefits from the governor’s educational projects,” Mahmood assured.
He also called on traditional and religious leaders to intensify efforts in promoting boys’ education, noting that while significant progress has been made in improving girls’ education, boys in some rural areas are lagging behind.
“Now the reverse is the case — girls are performing better while some boys are falling behind. We need to take action to address this trend, especially in our remote communities,” he added.
The event organized by the Centre for Girls Education focused on empowering girls, ensuring safe schools, and strengthening community engagement to support the education of every child in Kaduna State.
0 Comments