KATSINA: Boarding schools to reopen, 2 months after Kankara abduction

BOARDING schools in the state are to be reopened from March 2, 2021, according to the Commissioner for Education, Badamosi Charanchi, after a meeting with top government officials and other stakeholders.

This government’s directive is coming two months after 344 students of Government Science Secondary school, Kankara were abducted.

The abduction, which took place on Dec.11, led to forced vacation of schools across the state.

However, Day schools resumed activities a month ago.

Announcing the reopening of Day schools in January the school ordered each school established an eleven-member security committee for the safety of the students.

In reopening the Boarding schools, Charanchi, however, noted that students in the four command schools in the state are to resume fully in the next two days.

State officials present at the meeting included the Permanent Secretaries and the 12 zonal inspectors of education, among others.

The commissioner named the schools: Government Secondary Command school, Faskari; Government Secondary Command school, Musawa; Government Girls Command school, Barkiya, and Police secondary school, Mani.

Charanchi added that male students in the remaining boarding schools not included in the list released by the government should report at any nearest secondary school to their places of abode to continue their studies. 

Female students, however, are enjoined to await further instruction from the government.

“All girls boarding secondary schools should hold on a little until the security situation improves,” he added.

He said, “We want to see that schools reopen and the students back in classes to recover the lost grounds in the school curriculum. At the same time, we are not toying with their safety and we have the assurances of the support and cooperation of security operatives in this regard.

“We also seek for the prayers of our emirs, religious leaders, and other stakeholders to make Katsina safe.”

Katsina police commissioner, Sanusi Buba, also confirmed that the security committee would be made up of mainly security operatives, including mobile policemen.