Sokoto gov’t moves to tackle low attendance in schools

The Sokoto State Government has taken action to tackle low student and teacher attendance in schools across the region. Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Ahmad Ladan Ala, announced the measures during a morning briefing at the Sultan Muhammadu Maccido Institute. The directive came following a review of reports from monitoring teams who visited schools last week.

The teams found that some schools had low student turnout and Quality Assurance officers were absent during visits. Schools remain closed in most parts of the state due to security concerns, though exceptions exist in certain local government areas. Ala instructed the Director of Quality Assurance, Muhammad Sani Usman, to take immediate steps to address the attendance issues and ensure adherence to attendance and supervision requirements.

Teachers were also directed to maintain accurate school records. Additionally, the Director of Quality Assurance was asked to work with the Association of Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) to introduce a teachers' signing book for tracking attendance and lesson participation throughout the day. Ala emphasized the need for effective monitoring, accurate record-keeping, regular attendance, and professional commitment among school personnel.

He urged directors, zonal directors, education secretaries, Quality Assurance officers, and other officials to intensify supervision and promptly address any identified challenges.