Governor Dikko Radda has flagged off the second phase of School Improvement Grants worth over ₦6.1 billion for 110 schools across Katsina State, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to transforming the education sector and improving learning conditions for thousands of pupils.
Speaking on Friday during the official flag-off ceremony at the Transforming Education System for States (TESS) Project Office in Katsina, Governor Radda described the intervention as a major milestone in the state’s drive to build a modern, inclusive, and competitive education system.
The governor said the ₦6,116,343,477.00 grant would fund the construction of new classrooms, renovation of dilapidated school buildings, provision of gender-sensitive toilets, and access to safe drinking water in line with Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) standards.
According to him, investment in education remains the foundation for sustainable development and human capital growth.
“Our vision is to build an education system that is inclusive, functional, accountable, and capable of preparing our children to compete effectively in the modern world,” Radda said. 
As part of the event, the governor also commissioned a newly constructed 500-capacity conference hall at the TESS Project Office and distributed specialised learning materials and assistive devices to students at the School for the Blind in Katsina and the School for the Deaf in Malumfashi.
Governor Radda highlighted several achievements recorded under the TESS Project, including the distribution of Mathematics, English, and Computer Studies textbooks to primary school pupils, as well as digital tablets for teachers.
He revealed that no fewer than 28,000 teachers have undergone training in modern teaching methodologies, classroom management, and structured pedagogy to improve learning outcomes across the state.
The governor further disclosed that CCTV cameras had been installed in 130 schools to enhance security, while motorcycles were distributed to monitoring and evaluation officers across the 34 Local Government Education Authorities to strengthen supervision, especially in rural communities.
Radda warned that the huge investment must be managed with transparency and accountability, stressing that a dedicated monitoring committee had been constituted to oversee the execution of all projects.
The committee, according to him, comprises representatives of anti-corruption agencies, the State Project Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Team, Katsina State Development Management Board, and the Office of the Head of Service.
“The monitoring team will ensure all projects meet prescribed UBEC minimum standards and help position Katsina State to attain performance-based rewards from the World Bank and other donor agencies,” he added.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Suleiman Jibia, said the AGILE Project was promoting inclusive education through the provision of specialised learning materials for students with special needs.
He described basic education as the bedrock of national development and social transformation.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Katsina State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kabir Magaji, commended Governor Radda for what he called remarkable achievements in the education sector.
“Your giant strides in the education sector have restored hope and renewed confidence among communities, parents, teachers, and learners,” Magaji stated.
State Project Coordinator of the AGILE Project, Abubakar Abdulhamid, disclosed that over 104,000 girls had benefited from conditional cash transfer programmes aimed at encouraging school enrolment and reducing dropout rates.
He said the intervention had significantly improved transition rates from primary to junior secondary school and from junior to senior secondary school.
Abdulhamid added that 75 new secondary schools had been constructed under the project, with 65 already completed and handed over, while over 3,000 classrooms had been renovated statewide.
On her part, TESS Project Coordinator Binta Abdulmumini said the project had procured an 18-seater vehicle to improve coordination and supervision, alongside the distribution of 75,000 textbooks across key subjects.
Abdulmumini noted that the achievements recorded under Governor Radda’s administration were strengthening public confidence in the state’s education system.
The event, according to a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ibrahim Mohammed, was attended by top government officials, development partners, education stakeholders, and community leaders.
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