Your Excellency, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo,
We sincerely commend your administration for the prompt payment of salaries and the ongoing road construction projects across the state. These are notable achievements that reflect your commitment to infrastructural development. However, the most enduring and impactful legacy any government can leave behind is the investment in human capital—through quality education.
Education is the foundation of every successful society. Without it, there would be no Commissioners, no State Accountant General, no Secretary to the State Government, no Chief of Staff, and no Auditors General at both state and local government levels. All of these individuals passed through the hands of teachers who nurtured and equipped them with the knowledge and values needed to lead. Sadly, in many of our schools today—especially at the primary level—only two or three teachers are available to run an entire school. This situation is alarming and unsustainable.
We urge your administration to make teacher recruitment at both primary and secondary school levels a top and urgent priority. Constructing new schools is commendable, but without trained and sufficient educators, those buildings cannot fulfill their intended purpose.
Your predecessor, His Excellency Alhaji Yahaya Bello, CON, made laudable contributions to the education sector, including the establishment of two additional state-owned universities. However, without a strong foundational education system, these institutions will struggle to attract students, even from within the state. Toward the end of his administration, only 1,000 secondary school teachers were recruited—far below what was needed to replace those who retired, were dismissed, or passed away. Were it not for the five-year service extension granted to some teachers, the situation in our schools would be even worse.
We are also witnessing a disturbing trend: increasing numbers of students are withdrawing from institutions such as Kogi State Polytechnic, CUSTECH, and FUL. This can largely be traced back to weak academic foundations laid at the basic education level.
Despite the government’s declaration of free education at both the primary and secondary levels, many parents who wish to enroll their children are discouraged by the severe shortage of teachers in public schools. In most cases, only a handful of schools have made efforts to hire part-time staff to fill the gap. This unfortunate situation has significantly contributed to the rising number of out-of-school children in our communities. It is heartbreaking to see children who should be in class during school hours roaming the streets, hawking goods to support their families.
This is not acceptable.
It is a clear sign that we must act—now.
Education is a critical sector. We must not fold our arms or be satisfied with political appointments alone. Instead of creating numerous Special Senior Assistant (SSA) and Special Adviser (SA) positions—many of which come without defined roles—we propose that such appointments be redirected to serve as classroom teachers, especially in underserved communities. Appointing SSAs at the ward level who are trained and willing to teach could serve as an immediate and practical solution.
Teacher recruitment must take center stage. Everyone—regardless of political affiliation—stands to benefit from a well-educated population. Just as road construction is visibly transforming our state, we want to see a similar level of commitment and progress in the education sector, particularly in primary and secondary schools, before the end of 2025.
This is our time, and we must speak truth to power. If our message seems disturbing or uncomfortable, let our attention be called—we are ready to engage constructively. We speak not out of bitterness, but out of deep concern for the future of our children and our state.
Signed:
Ustaz Muhammed Yusuf
For: Education Task Force
Kogi Central Senatorial District
