By: Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
The Jigawa State Government has called on the state’s five First Class Emirs to lend their support to a major new education reform initiative — the Jigawa Unified New Improvement of Teaching and Education (JigawaUNITE) project — aimed at transforming the quality of basic education across the state.
This appeal was made during a courtesy visit to the traditional rulers by the Acting Managing Director of JigawaUNITE, Mr. Olusanya Omojola. A press statement signed and issued by Omojola in Dutse and made available to National Update described the visit as a step toward securing royal blessings and strengthening community engagement for the success and sustainability of the project.
According to the statement, JigawaUNITE is a comprehensive government-backed programme designed to overhaul the public primary education system and drastically improve learning outcomes for pupils across the state.
“JigawaUNITE represents the vision for a stronger Jigawa,” Omojola said. “It will accelerate pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, enabling them to become productive citizens who can actively contribute to the development of their communities and compete globally.”
He explained that the programme combines structured pedagogy with innovative technology to close learning gaps, using a pupil-focused approach that treats education as both a science and a critical social service.
Omojola noted that JigawaUNITE will transform public primary schools by introducing modern technology, data-driven tools, high-quality learning materials, and comprehensive support for teachers and school leaders through training and coaching. He emphasized that the initiative would not only uplift the education sector but also drive sustainable economic growth for the state.
During the visit, the Emirs offered their perspectives and pledged support for the programme.
The Emir of Dutse commended the initiative and reiterated his longstanding advocacy for integrating technology into basic and higher education systems in Jigawa, stressing the need to expose children to digital tools early.
The Emir of Gumel, Alhaji Ahmed Muhammad Sani, praised the government for aligning the project with the state’s pressing educational needs. “Such initiatives are needed now more than ever and deserve full community backing,” he said.
In a similar vein, the Emir of Ringim, Alhaji Sayyad Mahmud, assured the state government of continued cooperation from the Ringim Emirate Council. “We will activate our traditional leadership structures, including village and ward heads, to raise awareness and foster community ownership of the programme,” he pledged.
The Emir of Hadejia, Alhaji Adamu Abubakar Maje, also expressed full support for JigawaUNITE and lauded the state’s commitment to making education a development priority. He urged the programme team to launch Hausa-language radio campaigns on local FM stations to educate the public and enhance programme visibility.
With strong royal endorsement, the JigawaUNITE project appears poised to gain the grassroots momentum necessary to drive meaningful change in the state’s education sector.