Jigawa approves over N1bn for school infrastructure, foreign scholarships

The Jigawa government says it has approved over N1 billion for foreign scholarships and the development of school infrastructure in the state.

NAN reports that Sagir Musa, the commissioner for information, confirmed this on Friday.

Musa said the state executive council (SEC) approved the projects during its meeting on Thursday.

He said the SEC approved $534,372 following a memo presented by the ministry of higher education.

He said the memo was seeking payment for tuition, accommodation, application fees, and foreign students support services.

The commissioner said this was to cater to 184 indigent students transferred from Sudan to Near East University in Cyprus.

Musa said the SEC also approved N312 million for the payment of 12 months of living allowances, visa, air tickets, and other logistics for travel arrangements of the affected students.

The commissioner said the SEC equally approved N697.8 million counterpart fund for the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

This, he said, would facilitate the construction of 156 new classrooms; renovation of 207 others, construction of 39 toilets, and provision of 68 handpumps and boreholes.

Musa said it would also cover the supply of 14,016 sets of classroom furniture and perimeter fence in various schools across the state.

The commissioner said the council further approved N73 million for hostels, senior staff quarters, and library rehabilitation projects at two secondary schools.

He added that the projects would facilitate the procurement and installation of solar-powered pumps at Government Day Science Secondary School Hadejia and Kafin Hausa, respectively.

Editor’s note: The featured image is for illustrative purposes only.