Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State said his administration has so far rehabilitated 361 public schools in the state.

The governor disclosed this in statement by his spokesperson Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed on Saturday at the 7th and 8th Combined Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University Dutsinma.

Governor Radda said the renovation projects gulped N2 billion.

He reaffirmed his commitment to revamping Katsina’s education sector, adding that his administration recently employed over 7,000 teachers.

“We have also approved the contract for the construction of 75 secondary schools across the state, under the AGILE Program funded by the World Bank,” he said, adding that his administration also resolved to establish three special model schools in Katsina senatorial district, to allow talented children from less privileged families access quality education.

He expressed worry about the Out-of-School children in the state, saying steps were being taken to tackle it with the support of relevant stakeholders.

He congratulated a former Governor of the state, Barrister Ibrahim Shehu Shema, the Emir of Daura, Alh. Faruq Umar Faruq, and his Bichi counterpart, Alh. Nasiru Ado Bayero. for being conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree by the university, and urged the graduands to remain true ambassadors of their alma mater.

Earlier, Chancellor of the university, King Dandeson Jaja of Opobo, lamented that the Federal Government-owned school is battling security challenges, saying the main campus of the institution, located about 25 kilometers from the temporary campus, is an area prone to the attacks by bandits and kidnappers.

“Our university has not been utilizing several structures and other vital classroom facilities at the main campus, due to the menace of banditry,” he added.

The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, said the university ha sgraduated 4,365 students, out of which 112 bagged a first class (honours) degree and 1,131 got various second class degrees.

This, he said, was in addition to 401 post-graduate students, out of which 11 obtained PhD and 168 passed out with academic masters, alongside with 73 others who obtained professional diploma, among others.

Culled from 21st Century Chronicle