Sen. Shehu Sani has decried the poor state of public schools in the north of Nigeria and expressed fears of an imminent collapse if the situation continued.
He spoke during the 40th anniversary of Government Science College, Kagara, organised by the Kagara Old Boys Association (KAGOBA), Class of 1984 in Minna on Saturday.
Sani recalled that public schools used to be the best as they had teachers and lecturers from within and outside of the country.
“It is unfortunate that today, some of the public schools that produced the best people in the history of this country, are not what they used to be.
“In our days in schools, we had teachers from Pakistan, Indian, Canada and Egypt. Those teachers produced the Professors, Doctors, Engineers, Senators, captains of industries and Army Generals, among others.
“What public schools have become today is a disaster. The north must take education seriously.”
The former lawmaker lamented that the activities of bandits and terrorists had destroyed all educational fabrics in northern Nigeria.
Sani expressed dismay that GSC Kagara that had produced some of the best professionals in the country was now desolate and deserted due to the bandits’ attack where students were abducted.
He, however, supported the relocation of the school to Minna for the meantime, adding that security has improved under the President Bola Tinubu led-administration.
The former senator said that there was evidence that many top terrorists’ commanders had been eliminated across the country.
Earlier in his welcome address, Alhaji Jafar Tukur, Chairman of KAGOBA, said the college, established 1968, started operation in Minna between 1967 and 1968, and was later moved to Kagara in 1973.
Tukur, represented by Dr Philip Ibrahim, Vice Chairman, said the college was unique in the history of Niger.
Tukur described as ‘unfortunate’, the current condition of the school, adding that for 10 years, KAGOBA’s executives were responsible for the procurement of furniture for the students to write WAEC in the school.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that gunmen had, in February, 2021 abducted 27 students, three staff and 12 family members from the college.
The then Governor, Sani Bello, thereafter directed that all boarding schools in Rafi, Shiroro and Munya Local Governments be closed down and, since then, the school has remained closed. (NAN)