By Bashir Hassan
The Bauchi State Government has expressed deep appreciation to the Global Affairs Canada–funded ASPIRE Project, implemented by Plan International Nigeria, for donating essential teaching and learning materials to 50 schools across the state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Muhammad Lawan Riminzayan, conveyed the government’s gratitude during a formal handover ceremony held on Thursday, 11 September 2025, in Bauchi.
“Education remains at the heart of Bauchi State’s development agenda. We believe no child should be left behind, regardless of background, ability, or circumstance,” he said.
Dr. Zayan, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ali Babayo Gamawa, noted that many schools have long struggled with shortages of furniture, learning materials, sanitation facilities, and inclusive tools for learners with disabilities—challenges that have hindered effective teaching and learning.
He described the donation—which includes whiteboards, solar streetlights, desks, menstrual hygiene kits, braille machines, first-aid kits, disinfectants, and other learning resources—as “timely and impactful”, adding that the intervention would help restore dignity to classrooms, strengthen inclusivity, and create safer, more enabling environments for learning.
The commissioner commended the ASPIRE Project team for conducting a thorough needs assessment across over 100 schools, and for prioritizing the most critical gaps in 50 schools.
“This evidence-based approach ensures that interventions are not only impactful, but also equitable and sustainable,” he said.
He assured that the Ministry of Education will ensure transparent and effective distribution of the items to the identified schools.
“Under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, we remain committed to strengthening partnerships that advance education for all. Together, we will continue to work towards an inclusive, accessible, and quality education system,” Dr. Lawan pledged.
The commissioner also called on school administrators, teachers, parents, and community leaders to safeguard the donated resources.
“Let us use them wisely for the benefit of our children, who are the future of Bauchi State and Nigeria at large,” he urged.
Earlier, a representative of Plan International’s ASPIRE Project explained that the team had recently carried out an extensive assessment of more than 100 formal and non-formal schools across the state and identified critical gaps in infrastructure, furniture, consumables, and learning kits.
Based on agreed selection criteria, 50 schools were prioritized for intervention, leading to the procurement and handover of a wide range of essential items.
Delivering a vote of thanks, Sa’adata M. Usman, Coordinator of Development Partners in the Education Ministry, enjoined beneficiary schools to make judicious use of the resources and reaffirmed the ministry’s openness to future collaborations with development partners.
Items Donated:
155 steel-pole solar lights
74 dustbins
30 notice boards
350 desks
3 braille machines
41 first-aid boxes
62 mopping buckets
1,400 rubber kettles
31 water containers
607 alcohol-based hand rubs
22 whiteboards
888 hand-wash soaps
476 disinfectants
160 detergents
148 brooms
72 sanitary pads
74 toilet rolls
40 board markers and cleaners