By Segun Adewale in Gombe
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has inaugurated a Taskforce on the Revitalization of Basic Education, with a mandate to develop practical and transformative strategies to strengthen foundational learning across the state.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony at the Government House, Gombe Weekend, Governor Inuwa Yahaya charged the taskforce members to propose actionable measures that will improve basic education performance, address shortages of qualified teachers and tackle weak administrative structures, among other critical challenges.
The Governor recalled that upon assuming office in 2019, his administration declared a state of emergency in the education sector due to years of decay, poor planning and structural inadequacies.
He noted that, despite significant progress recorded since then, the state must push further to achieve excellence.
Governor Inuwa Yahaya pointed out some of the tangible achievements in the sector, including the dramatic improvement in WAEC performance from 22 percent to over 70 percent within six and a half years, describing it as evidence of his administration’s commitment to quality education.
He reiterated his resolve to ensure that students in Gombe continue to excel in both NECO and WAEC examinations.
On efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children, the Governor explained that, through the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) programme and support from development partners, the state successfully enrolled over 450,000 children into various schools.
He acknowledged the challenges posed by migration patterns, particularly with Gombe bearing the brunts in the middle of the North-East, but assured that government will continue to provide the necessary support to ensure that these children remain in school until completion.
Describing members of the taskforce as seasoned administrators and accomplished educationists, Governor Inuwa Yahaya said their appointment was based strictly on technical competence and professional merit, not political considerations.
He encouraged the committee to adopt innovative ideas and co-opt additional expertise where necessary to enrich their assignment and deliver a roadmap that will reposition basic education in the state. He warned against any bureaucratic bottlenecks that will hinder the work of the taskforce.
The Governor reiterated that his administration places utmost priority on basic education, healthcare, security and agriculture, noting that these sectors form the foundation of sustainable human development.
He revealed that the state government recently launched the disbursement of over 13.5 billion Naira under AGILE towards improving girl-child learning environments, N1.5 billion for scholarships to students, and an additional over 700 million naira disbursed as incentives to keep girls in school.
Responding on behalf of the taskforce, the Chairperson and Commissioner of Education, Professor Aishatu Maigari, assured the Governor that members of the committee will justify the confidence reposed in them by producing a revitalization blueprint that will serve as a model for other states.
She commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s courage and vision, stating, “It takes courage for a leader to invest six years of exemplary effort in education and still say, ‘Tell me what more I need to do.’
Professor Maigari disclosed that Gombe was the first state to pay its UBEC counterpart funding for 2025, adding that the Minister of Education had recently commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for his steadfast commitment to educational development.
“We assure you, Your Excellency, that we will diagnose the problems and challenges, assess the needs of the sector and proffer tailor made solutions that will be scalable, achievable, specific, realistic, time bound and transparent “.
The taskforce has the state Commissioner for Education, Professor Aishatu Maigari as Chairperson, with Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, OON, Mr. Mataimaki Tom Maiyashi, Engr. Dr. Muhammad Nuru Yakubu, OON and Dr. Sadiq Abubakar Gombe as members.
The Executive Chairman of the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Esrom Toro Jokthan, serves as Secretary, while the Permanent Secretary, Special Services and Political, is Assistant Secretary.
