The Kaduna State Government said it had commenced improvement in the quality of education in public schools as part of effort to ensure human capital development.
Ja’afaru Sani, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, disclosed this at a Two-day Acceleration Conference on SDGs on Wednesday in Kaduna.
The conference was organised by the Kaduna State Government to strengthen partnership with local and international partners for effective implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sani noted that no society progressed without paying due attention to human capital development.
He said the state government had shifted emphasis to science, technology and innovation to build the needed human resources for socio-economic development.
The commissioner blamed the poor state of education in the state on poor quality of teaching and learning in public schools due to the rot in infrastructure and poor quality of teachers.
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“We have gone far in renovating and equipping our public schools; 500 completed, about 1,200 are between 70 and 80 per cent completion and we will continue till all our schools are renovated and well equipped.
We have rid our primary schools of unqualified teachers and employed 25,000 qualified ones, recruitment of 760 qualified teachers for secondary schools is ongoing. “he said.
He said that the state government had commenced equipping of libraries, constructing and equipping laboratories and workshops in public schools to ensure practical skills.
“Our goal is to upgrade public schools to be at same level with private schools, if not higher, in terms of quality of teaching and learning, “he said.
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On tertiary education, the commissioner said that efforts were being put in place to ensure that students were equipped with practical skills needed to fill the skills gap in the areas of science and technology.
Contributing, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development said that the state government had rolled out various intervention programmes, designed to improve the livelihood of women and children.
Baba said that 5,000 women have so far benefited from the N200 million provided to support women to establish or expand their businesses.
She said that the state government was making effort to carry along women, children and people with disabilities that were often left behind in governance.
Mr Kelechi Ohiri of Health Strategy and Delivery Foundation urged the state government to increase investment in health and education.
He said that no nation could tap its demographic dividend without focusing on the health and education of its population.
Dr Mojisola Odeku of Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative stressed the need for family planning to allow for proper care for the populace and equipped with developmental skills.
Dr Rex Mpazanje of the World Health Organisation noted that investment in human capital development paid more than investment in infrastructure.
According to him, achieving SDGs in Kaduna State will largely depend on attention given to human capital development.
Earlier, the Deputy Governor, Mr Barnabas Bantex, said that the state government remained committed to the success of the SDGs.
He also said that the local governments had been strengthened to deliver development at local levels.
Bantex called on all development partners, working in the state, to join forces with state government in ensuring successful implementation of the SDGs. (NAN)