Sokoto NUJ Chairman Commends Nagwari For Improving Education Sector

February 26, 2026

Sokoto NUJ Chairman Commends Nagwari For Improving Education Sector

By Aminu Suleiman

The Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Sokoto State Council, Comrade Usman Muhammad Binji, has commended the efforts of the Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) under the leadership of its Executive Chairman, Alhaji Umar Nagwari Tambuwal, for the policies and strategies being implemented to improve basic education, particularly at the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) level.

He made this statement while presenting his remarks at a Media Dialogue that brought together key stakeholders in the education sector and journalists from Sokoto, Kebbi, and Zamfara States.

The dialogue aimed at identifying new approaches to raising public awareness on the importance of strengthening early childhood education and ensuring access to quality education from the foundational stage.

The programme seeks to strengthen government commitment toward increased investment in early childhood education, introduce innovative strategies, and enhance community support for ECCE across the three states.

The two-day event was officially declared open by the Sokoto State Commissioner for Education, Professor Ahmad Ladan Ala, at the Sokoto Command Guest Inn conference hall. The dialogue was organized by the Sokoto State SUBEB in partnership with UNICEF and funded by the European Union (EU) through its Early Childhood Education support fund.

This marks the first time such a dialogue has been held in Sokoto State. A special panel discussion was also organized, featuring the Commissioner for Education, Professor Ahmad Ladan Ala; the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Alhaji Umar Nagwari Tambuwal; the National Chairman of SBMC, Comrade Kabiru Aliyu; UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Sokoto, Dr. Michael Juma; education expert Ahmad Umar Garba; and the NUJ Chairman, Sokoto State Council, Comrade Usman Muhammad Binji, who represented journalists from the three participating states.

The discussion focused on developing innovative approaches to sensitizing governments and communities on the importance of prioritizing early childhood education.

In his welcome address, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Alhaji Umar Nagwari Tambuwal, reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to improving early childhood education, emphasizing that ECCE is critically important.

He noted that research and historical evidence have shown that the foundation of an individual’s future is largely formed before entry into primary school, adding that the period from birth to eight years represents the most crucial stage of brain development in a child.

He further explained that a strong ECCE system promotes equity, particularly for children from disadvantaged backgrounds, while also helping to reduce the number of out-of-school children and school dropouts.

He disclosed that between 2024 and 2025, a total of 160 ECCE centres were supported with teaching and learning materials alongside training for caregivers. Building on this success, UNICEF has committed to supporting an additional 80 centres, while SUBEB plans to triple this number in 2026.

To further strengthen educational reforms, the Sokoto State Government has commenced the construction of three Mega Schools across the three senatorial districts:

Aliyu Magatakarda Model Primary School, Wamakko (Sokoto Central)

Muhammad Sambo Model Primary School, Goronyo (Sokoto East)

Government Day Junior Secondary School, Tambuwal (Sokoto South)

The schools occupy land areas of up to 35,700 square meters and include 60 classrooms, laboratories, sports facilities, and other learning amenities. Additionally, 3,000 teachers have been screened to select the most qualified candidates, who will also serve in SMART Schools, the Second Chance Centre for Girls in Sokoto South, and three vocational training centres located in Sifawa, Wurno, and Wamakko.

He further stated that the Sokoto State Government, under the leadership of Governor Ahmad Aliyu, continues to implement new policies and strengthen community collaboration to reduce the number of out-of-school children. Through the Out-of-School Children (OOSC) dashboard, data of 326,119 children have already been captured, representing significant progress between 2024 and 2025.

Alh Umar Nagwari called on the Federal Government and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to support the expansion of these initiatives nationwide to ensure education for every child.

He also urged media organizations to play a vital role in disseminating the eleven key resolutions reached during the stakeholders’ dialogue, including the development of a structured Almajiri education policy and the reintroduction of the home-grown school feeding programme.