Vice President Kashim Shettima weekend launched the North East Development Commission’s Accelerated Senior Secondary School Education Programme (ASSEP) in Bauchi state.
It is a bid to transform education outcomes in the North-east sub region, thereby addressing the specific gaps in the quality and reach of secondary education.
Senator Shettima at the launching of the programme held at the banquet hall of the Government House Bauchi said, “Northeast sub-region in particular has been the victim of our inability to enforce a uniform policy to drive school and the persistent cultural perversion to formal education in this nation by various communities.”
He noted that while primary education provides a foundation, secondary education is a bridge.
He pointed out that the consequences of the nation’s action and inaction are evidence in all indices used to assess our development.
“We in the North-east occupy a quantum of position in ranking of essential services. Education being a key sector of this country, this is especially pronounced in the post primary education, while the North-east secondary school enrollment drive stands at 19 percent –far below the nation’s 39 percent.”
On his part, the North East Development Commission’s managing director, Goni Alkali, stated that the ASSEP is an intervention focused on addressing a particular challenge in the region’s education system through providing effective support where the capacity of conventional schooling arrangements is limited for the teeming beneficiaries.
“The ASSEP seeks to boost the post-primary education rating across the NE region through 3 major objectives: (i) improved enrolment into tertiary institutions (ii) skills development and (iii) elevation of teacher quality.
ASSEP will pay special focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and communication, which foster creativity and critical thinking. It motivates and inspires young people to generate new technologies and ideas to learn from inquiry-based tasks.
“ASSEP key delivery pillars are: To raise awareness about after-school possibilities and the potential for diligent students to become successful and prominent contributors to the NE Region and Nigeria. ASSEP Main Components: Quiz competitions; examination coaching (one ASSEP Centre in each of the 18 Senatorial Districts) will be designated as “NEDC Centre of Excellence in Senior Secondary Education” to organise and hold regular tutorials, especially for students enrolled as candidates in WAEC, NECO and JAMB examinations), virtual instructions, teacher quality upgrade.”
On his part, the host governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed of Bauchi state said the state welcomes every opportunity provided to improve the education sector having declared a state of emergency in the sector.
