Tilde, who was recently reappointed to head the state Ministry of Education as Commissioner, said this in a press release made available to journalists in Bauchi.
The Commissioner expressed regrets that nomadic education had been neglected in the past.
He revealed that in the past five years, only seven projects were carried out under Bauchi State Agency for Nomadic Education (BASANE) in only seven out of 463 primary schools, saying that three of such projects were carried out by NCNE.
He submitted that all the 463 schools had been abandoned for years and asked if it was surprising that the country now had bandits and kidnappers below the age of 30 from different forests.
This, according to him, informed Bauchi State’s decision to give nomadic education a priority.
“The statistics are clear. In the past 5 years, only seven projects were carried out under Bauchi State Agency for Nomadic Education (BASANE), touching on only 7 out of 463 primary schools, three of which were carried out by NCNE.
“To put it straight, the 463 schools have been abandoned for years. Is it surprising that we have bandits and kidnappers below the age of 30 from our forests?
“Are these schools not part of the basic schools’ count that are entitled to the attention that other similar schools get?”
The Commissioner said he had met discussed with the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE), Professor Bashir Usman as part of moves to actualise the prioritisation of nomadic education in the state,
He informed that the NCNE scribe had assured him of the Commission’s support.
“Fortunately, I have cleared the matter with the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission in Abuja a day before. These schools deserve to be treated as other schools.
“It is my duty as commissioner to bring every stakeholder involved on board in the state. Soon, Bauchi will gain the heart of Professor Bashir and of his Chairman, Professor Tahir, the emeritus administrator of basic education in the country,” he stated.
While urging clerics to continue to make effort in taking religious education to the nomads, Tilde submitted that the government needed to retrace its steps and pay due attention to the rights and plight of the nomads.
According to him, “education is the only tool for their refinement and integration into the larger civilization.”
