*Rendered 2.2m children out of school – Gov. Zulum

The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has said more than 5,000 school structures were destroyed during the over-a-decade-long insurgency in the state.

The governor disclosed this on Sunday during the commissioning of several projects, including roads, a flyover and schools, in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

“The insurgency destroyed more than 5,000 school structures, while at its peak, an estimated 2.2 million children were out of school, with fewer than 500,000 enrolled. Many teachers and school administrators lost their lives in the course of duty,” Zulum said.

He said the state government had formally commissioned four important projects, including the Larawaram Community Senior Secondary School, the Shehu Sanda Kyarimi I Primary and Junior Secondary School, the Post Office 9-Span Flyover, and the dualisation of the 2.5-kilometre road, together with five kilometres of drainage, from Budum Tandari Junction to Kasuwan Shanu.

“Today, we have formally commissioned four important projects: the Larawaram Community Senior Secondary School; the Shehu Sanda Kyarimi I Primary and Junior Secondary School; the Post Office 9-Span Flyover; and the dualisation of the 2.5-kilometre road, together with five kilometres of drainage, from Budum Tandari Junction to Kasuwan Shanu,” he stated.

Zulum, however, noted that rebuilding schools went beyond constructing physical structures.

“It is about restoring access to education, rebuilding confidence in our communities and providing our children with the opportunity to secure a better future,” he noted.

The governor further disclosed that more than N46 billion had been invested between 2025 and 2026 in basic and secondary education.

“Between the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years alone, this administration invested Forty-Six Billion, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Seven Million, Three Kobo Only (N46,987,069,675.33) in basic and secondary education.

“Today’s commissioning forms part of this broader investment, alongside 136 projects that have been completed and are awaiting commissioning,” he added.

Zulum said the government had also continued to expand and improve school infrastructure at the public pre-primary and primary levels.

“The number of usable classrooms has increased to 5,792, while usable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities have increased to 4,563. At the senior secondary level, the number of functional schools increased from 34 across eight Local Government Areas in 2019 to 129 across 25 Local Government Areas by 2026,” he said.

According to him, the results of the investments and interventions were increasingly evident, particularly in school enrolment across the state.

“Enrolment rose from Seven Hundred and Sixty-Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty-One (766,551) learners in 2019 to One Million, Eight Hundred and One Thousand, Two Hundred and Ninety-Five (1,801,295) in 2026, representing an increase of more than one million learners within seven years,” he noted.

The governor said the growth reflected expanded access, improved public confidence and sustained investment in the education sector.

“These indicators demonstrate the scale of our efforts to expand educational access, restore infrastructure and improve the learning environment for our children,” he added.