It may be recalled that the then Nasarawa State Special Assistant to the Governor on Education, Abubakar Idris Adamu forwarded report of an advocacy visit, general assessment/evaluation on GSS Ugah, LGEA Primary School, Ugah and G.C Doma for urgent intervention to the Executive Governor of Nasarawa State and acknowledged on the 10th October, 2023 NS/SA/GHL/VOL.I/11 which contains among other things particularly on recommendation to establish the Nasarawa State Education Trust Fund (NASETFUND) which was followed up with a memo titled “Proposal for an Executive Bill seeking to Establish Nasarawa State Education Trust Fund (NASETFUND) and other related matters 2023. The Nasarawa State House of Assembly received an Executive Bill for its establishment having undergone 1st, 2nd reading and final public hearing on 24th July, 2024. Members of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly during the public hearing Speaker, Nasarawa State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Danladi Jatau has described education as the backbone of development in every society.

He also commended Governor Abdullahi A. Sule for his passion towards the development of the education sector in the state. The Speaker stated this while declaring open a public hearing organized by the Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Education on a Bill to Establish Nasarawa State Education Development Trust Fund and other Matters connected Therewith 2024. It would be reported the bill has passed second reading at the floor of the House. The Speaker commended Governor Abdullahi A. Sule for initiating the Executive Bill aimed at repositioning the education sector to take its rightful place within the committee of nations.

” Governor Abdullahi A. Sule is a lover of education, he has a strong belief that with quality education the state has a lot to achieve in terms of development. ” This is cleared when one looks at the budget allocated to the education sector in the 2024 appropriation. Education is one of the sectors that have the highest allocation and that is commendable”. He added Jatau used the occasion to call on the people of the state to pray and support the government of Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule to succeed ” So that his Excellency will continue to provide positive leadership and the much needed dividends of democracy to the people. He enjoined stakeholders to contribute positively to the public hearing so that the committee can have all the information needed to add to the bill before passing it into law.

In his opening remark, the Chairman House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Rt. Hon. Abel Yakubu Bala said the essence of the bill was to provide for quality education starting from the Primary School, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions in the state. According to him, the bill, if finally passed, will provide money for funding of the education sector in the state for the overall educational development of children, especially the primary and secondary students. ” The bill if passed will provide for physical infrastructures, learning materials, training and retraining of teachers, furniture in schools among other interventions that will help in rediscovering education in the state”. He said. He welcomed the representatives of various institutions, sectors and stakeholders urging them to contribute meaningfully for the success of the bill that is about to be passed into law.

The occasion had in attendance the representatives of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK), Federal University of Lafia, Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia. Also present are the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MSTI), Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), Parent Teachers Association (PTA), Association of Private Schools Owners (APSON), Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU).

The representatives, who spoke separately and effectively commended the effort of the state government and the assembly for coming with the bill to address challenges facing the education sector and promised to support the bill to see the light of the day. Representatives made suggestions for the bill to also capture teachers welfare, security in schools, perimeter fencing of schools, regular training and retraining of teachers, approval of in-service, provision of incentives, safe school environment. Stakeholders also suggested the appointment of a civil servant within the rank of a director as the Secretary of the board and the inclusion of relevant MDAs as members of the board. However, some suggested Executive Secretary instead of Secretary for the board. They advised that the large percentage of the fund to be generated should be allocated to basic education because it is the foundation for achieving quality education anywhere in the world. They called on the government to ensure proper implementation of the law by putting out mechanisms that will avoid corruption in the system in order to achieve the desired results.