Sokoto Moves to Tackle Dearth of Female Teachers

Mohammed Aminu in Sokoto

Sokoto State Government on Thursday said it had introduced measures to tackle the shortage of female teachers in schools across the state.

Speaking at a press briefing in Sokoto, the state Commissioner of Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Jabbi Kilgori, said the initiative was part of the present administration’s efforts to ensure adequate female teachers in schools, in view of the state of emergency declared on the education sector by Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

He decried the shortage of female teachers in urban and rural schools, saying this had led to low enrolment of pupils, especially girls.

According to him, the ugly trend was responsible for low retension and transition of pupils, especially girls at primary and secondary schools in the state.

He said it was in view of the need to tackle the problem that the state government introduced Female Teachers Mobility Project.

The Commissioner explained that the project was designed to enhance availability of female teachers to rural areas to serve as role models for the girl-child.

“The project involves daily shuttles to selected schools of need in rural communities and an incentive allowance package for the participants.

“This is to decongest urban schools of underutilised female teachers and enable them serve as role models to the girls,”Kilgori said.