Jigawa Gov’t Boost Primary Education, Distributes 57,000 Textbooks

The Jigawa State Government has begun the distribution of more than 57,000 assorted curriculum textbooks to primary school pupils across 250 schools, under the JigawaUNITE education reform programme, aimed at improving learning outcomes and strengthening basic education statewide.

The exercise was launched at Ansaruddeen Primary School in Kiyawa, where education officials said the materials would help reduce the shortage of learning resources in classrooms and support teachers to deliver better lessons.

The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Professor Haruna Musa, said the textbooks form part of a broader intervention under the JigawaUNITE programme, a state-backed education reform initiative introduced by Governor Umar Namadi in partnership with education firm NewGlobe.

According to him, the state has so far distributed 247,597 academic materials to teachers and pupils across 20 local government areas.

Of this figure, 194,380 materials were issued in the first term, while 53,217 were delivered in the second term of the current academic year.

Professor Musa said the programme goes beyond textbooks.

So far, 1,480 teachers have been trained, and structured lesson plans and data-based monitoring have been introduced in 250 schools, reaching more than 87,000 pupils.

“This is about creating a better learning environment for both teachers and pupils,” he said, adding that the government is determined to ensure every child has access to basic learning tools, regardless of location or background.

The Chairman of JigawaUNITE, Alhaji Habib Saleh, said early assessments showed weak learning outcomes at the start of the programme.

However, he noted that recent tests, classroom assessments and feedback from parents and teachers point to steady improvement.

He acknowledged challenges, particularly in some rural areas where teacher attendance remains an issue, but said monitoring teams under SUBEB are working to address the problem.

At the launch, the Chairman of the School-Based Management Committee at Ansaruddeen Primary School, Alhaji Salisu Kiyawa, welcomed the initiative, describing it as a relief for parents and teachers.

He promised that the materials would be properly managed to improve teaching and learning.

Looking ahead, the state government plans to expand JigawaUNITE to 600 schools, with an additional 350 schools to be enrolled in the next phase. Officials say the expansion will come with more teacher training, closer community involvement and continuous evaluation.

For the Jigawa State government, the goal is to raise learning standards, close gaps in primary education and set an example for basic education reform across Nigeria.