Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
Sokoto State Government has approved the sum of over N7.5 billion for the construction of three mega schools across the state as part of efforts to strengthen basic education and provide modern learning infrastructure.
Chairman of the Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Umaru Na-Gwari Tambuwal, disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Sokoto, explaining that the schools would be strategically located across the three senatorial districts.
Tambuwal said each of the proposed mega schools would cost about N2.5 billion, noting that the initiative is aimed at expanding access to quality education while addressing the challenge of overcrowded classrooms.
According to him, every mega school will consist of not fewer than 60 classrooms, designed to accommodate a large number of pupils within a modern and well-equipped learning environment.
He identified the locations of the projects as Tambuwal, Goronyo, and Wamakko, representing Sokoto West, Sokoto East and Sokoto Central Senatorial Districts respectively.
The SUBEB chairman explained that each school would also have residential quarters for the principal and vice principal, to ensure effective supervision and administration of the institutions.
Tambuwal further revealed that additional facilities to be provided include science laboratories, playgrounds and two boreholes, which will support both academic activities and students’ welfare.
He said the mega schools would also incorporate a clinic, an ICT centre, perimeter fencing, and sections for nursery, primary and secondary education, making them comprehensive educational complexes.
Providing further details, the Board’s ICT Officer, Mallam Nura Sani, noted that the facilities would also include a mosque, staff rooms, a headmaster’s office and a mini stadium, among other modern structures.
Sani stressed that the design of the schools would promote digital learning and ensure that students are exposed to technology driven education in line with global standards.
Also speaking, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at SUBEB, Engr. Tukur Mohammed Yabo, said the initiative reflects the commitment of the Sokoto State Government to reposition the education sector.
He noted that the project aligns with the vision of Governor Dr. Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, who has prioritised education reforms since assuming office in 2023.
Yabo added that officials of the board had earlier undertaken study tours to Yobe, Borno, Kaduna States and the Federal Capital Territory, where they examined operational mega school models to guide the implementation of Sokoto’s own initiative.
