From Muawuya Bala Idris, Katsina
The Katsina State Agency for Mass Education has concluded plans to commence literacy classes for repentant bandits as part of efforts to reintegrate them into society.
This initiative follows peace agreements in several local government areas where bandits voluntarily laid down their arms in a bid to restore peace to the state.
Speaking with journalists on Saturday in Katsina, the Executive Director of the agency, Bilkisu Muhammad Kakai, said the state was ready to deploy facilitators to run the classes.
According to her, both Islamic and Western education will be taught in the programme to reshape the behaviour and lifestyle of the former bandits.
“We will liaise with local government chairmen to open the classes in phases. The core subjects will focus on Islamic and Western education,” Kakai said.
Reviewing the performance of the agency in the last six months, Kakai disclosed that 68 new adult education classes had been established within the vicinities of district heads across the state.
She also revealed that a Basic Post-Literacy class had been opened at the Katsina Correctional Centre to support inmates who wish to pursue higher education.
“The Basic Post-Literacy class is designed to assist inmates to progress academically and, eventually, enroll in university for a degree certificate,” she said.
Kakai further noted that she had toured all local government areas in the state to inspect adult education classes and women centres to assess their conditions.
She commended Governor Dikko Umar Radda for his support and disclosed that financial provisions had been made in this year’s budget to address some of the challenges facing the centres.
The director, however, appealed to members of the National Assembly from the state to collaborate with the agency to establish more adult literacy and women centres across their constituencies.
“The National Assembly members should dedicate a percentage of their constituency allowances to support the running of adult education classes in their areas in order to wipe out illiteracy,” she said.
