The Jigawa State Government has formally requested $110 million in development financing from the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to tackle persistent challenges in the state’s education sector, including inadequate school infrastructure, limited teacher development and poor learning environments.
Governor Malam Umar Namadi made the announcement during a courtesy visit on Friday at Government House in Dutse, when a delegation from the IsDB led by Operations Team Leader for Social Infrastructure, Mr Imtiaz Alam, was received.
The proposed intervention, dubbed the SMART Project, will be implemented in partnership with the IsDB and is set to cover two other participating states. “This partnership is an important opportunity for us to strengthen our efforts to improve access to quality education and address existing challenges in the education sector,” the governor said.
“We approached the Islamic Development Bank because of its capacity not only to support development initiatives but also to mobilise other development partners and donors for priority interventions,” Namadi added. He highlighted that his administration has continued to push measures aimed at improving school enrolment, retention and learning outcomes, and that the IsDB‑supported project would complement these efforts by providing additional resources to upgrade infrastructure, strengthen teacher development and enhance overall educational quality.
Mr Alam explained that the $110 million project would fund the construction of new schools, rehabilitation of existing facilities and the provision of water and sanitation infrastructure. He also noted that the intervention would include teacher training, capacity building and other measures designed to create a more conducive teaching and learning environment.
“Our objective is to improve learning outcomes and ensure that our students can compete favourably wherever they find themselves,” Namadi said, underscoring the state’s commitment to elevating educational standards through this partnership.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
