Zulum Rolls Out Stipends, Free Meals To Boost Education In Borno

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has unveiled a fresh package of incentives to revive school enrolment in the insurgency-hit northern part of the state.

At the commissioning of the Higher Islamic College, Gajiganna, on Friday, Zulum announced stipends and free meals for students and their families. He disclosed that each father of the 90 enrolled students would receive ₦250,000, while each mother would get ₦50,000. In addition, every student is to be paid ₦50,000 and provided with free daily meals.

“This intervention is deliberate,” Zulum said. “We cannot afford to leave northern Borno behind. Education here must be strengthened to secure the future of our young people.”

The governor expressed concern that Gajiganna, a community of about 50,000 residents, could only boast of 90 secondary school students. He described the figure as disturbing and called for urgent redress.

He explained that the newly established Islamic College would operate a blended curriculum, combining Sangaya (Almajiri) learning with science, mathematics, technology, and English under the guidelines of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS). The model, according to him, preserves Islamic values while equipping learners with contemporary knowledge and vocational skills.

Zulum further directed that schools in the state with low enrolment be incorporated into the daily feeding programme, insisting that food remains a strong incentive for keeping children in school. He also announced that Government Day Secondary School, Gajiganna, would act as a referral centre for pupils completing primary education in the town.

Commissioner for Education, Lawan Wakilbe, commended the governor’s record in the sector, noting that 104 mega schools had been built within six years, with another 35 projects at different stages of completion.

The inauguration was attended by Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, Speaker of the Borno House of Assembly Abdulkarim Lawan, APC Chairman Bello Ayuba, and other top officials.

The Higher Islamic College in Gajiganna is among 20 similar institutions recently established across local government areas to integrate Almajiri children into formal education and equip them with literacy and trade skills.