Key points
- Bauchi State has trained more than 500 students in vocational and entrepreneurial skills.
- The programme aims to promote self-reliance and keep students productively engaged during school holidays.
- The state also paid external examination fees and distributed learning materials to support access to education.
- Officials unveiled the 2026 Annual School Census and a new 10-year education strategic plan.
Main story
The Bauchi State Government says it has trained more than 500 students in vocational and entrepreneurial skills to enable them engage in productive activities during school holidays.
The Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Abdulkadir Ibrahim, disclosed this during the dissemination of the 2026 Annual School Census (ASC) in Bauchi.
The exercise was organised by the Bauchi State Ministry of Education in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Ibrahim said the beneficiaries, drawn from conventional schools, received training in bead making, garment production, bag and shoe making, satellite installation and carpentry.
According to him, the initiative is designed to equip students with practical skills, encourage self-reliance and discourage idleness during school breaks.
He said the state government was taking deliberate steps to improve educational outcomes rather than waiting for change to happen.
The commissioner also disclosed that the ministry had constituted a committee to undertake minor repairs in schools across the state to improve the teaching and learning environment.
He said the government had paid examination fees for students sitting the National Examinations Council (NECO), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examinations to reduce the financial burden on parents.
Ibrahim added that the state distributed teaching and learning materials to students with special needs, alongside 1,000 school bags and 1,000 pairs of shoes to improve access to education.
He commended Governor Bala Mohammed for implementing policies that have strengthened the state’s education sector.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmed, said the dissemination of the 2026 Annual School Census and the Bauchi State Education Strategic Plan (2024–2033) marked another milestone in improving education planning and service delivery.
Ahmed said the strategic plan would serve as a roadmap for improving access, equity, quality and efficiency in education over the next decade while aligning with national and international development priorities.
He expressed confidence that both documents would support evidence-based policymaking and improve the delivery of quality education across the state.
The issues
Many states are increasingly combining formal education with vocational and entrepreneurial training to equip students with practical skills, improve employability and reduce youth unemployment. Reliable education data is also considered essential for planning investments and improving learning outcomes.
What’s being said
“We are not folding our arms and waiting for miracles in the education sector; we are taking action.” — Abdulkadir Ibrahim, Bauchi State Commissioner for Education
“The strategic plan will provide a roadmap for improving access, equity, quality and efficiency in education over the next decade.” — Ibrahim Ahmed, Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Ministry of Education
What’s next
The state government plans to implement its 2024–2033 Education Strategic Plan while continuing school infrastructure improvements and expanding programmes aimed at improving access and learning outcomes.
Bottom line
Bauchi is combining vocational training, financial support for students and long-term education planning as part of broader efforts to improve learning outcomes and prepare young people with practical skills.
