FEATURED: My 2021 Activities Review -By Hajiya Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu

Hajiya Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu is the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Kwara State.

In her last year review made available to our medium, she said;

It has been a truly remarkable year. 2021 saw me achieve, on a grander platform, the continuation of one of my childhood hobbies, working closely with children.

In this fast-paced world, it's nice to remember, that it's not the speed that always matters.

It is just as important to be patient, wish for others what you wish for yourself, be consistent and persistent in whatever you are doing, and put God first. 

I was nominated for the second time, as a Commissioner in Kwara State, in March this year, but because I wasn’t in the country at the time, I couldn’t make the initial screening.

I eventually got screened and was inaugurated, in August (5 months after).

In the period before my screening, I was able to attend a most rewarding leadership training, and do other personal stuff. Indeed, God’s time is always the best!

From my resumption in August till December 2021, under the leadership of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the Kwara State Education Transformation Agenda (KWETA) plan has been on the course, birthed by the Kwara Education Future Summit; we completed and handed over the Police Secondary School, Ballah to the NPF; signed the MOU and contract with New Globe for the KwaraLearn Program, that would transform our public primary schools; and we have held the phase 1 introduction and presentation of the KwaraLEARN program, to the MDAs, and the end-users, that would work with the technical team.

Knowing that the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development cannot act alone, to achieve quality education, I have convened or hosted numerous meetings, with several and sometimes the same education stakeholders and held many community engagements, to promote synergy, and ensure that all hands are on the deck, to complement the present government’s investment in the sector.

I ran interviews with the media, to tell our stories, and receive feedback to assist our work. Feedback received helped our decisions to direct refunds of illegal fees collected from students, be it additional money added to the approved PTA levy, or money for optional items, that were made compulsory to the students. 

I have visited selected schools across the three (3) senatorial districts in our state, to assess teaching and learning, available basic facilities, compared and discovered the peculiarities. I had one on one students and teachers, in various places visited. Of particular interest to me were our rural areas; they must not be left behind. 

I have mentored our youths and girls in our tertiary institutions; supported different causes: gender-based violence, curbing social vices, widening female participation in politics, celebrated the International Day of the Girl-Child by visiting Okesuna JSS, Model Girls School In Oke-Oyi, and our girls in the Kwara State school for the special needs in commemoration of the day, and generally, empowering our women and youths. 

I honored and attended several events, like the Spelling Bee Competition for Primary School Pupils, organized by the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS); Women Summit organized by the office of the VP Unilorin SU; Ilorin Emirate Youth Summit; Kwara State Deaf Association annual conference; Ilorin Emirate Physically Challenged Association of Nigeria’s 10th anniversary and funds raising; 2021 World Teachers Day celebration, organized by Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) amongst others. 

I also flagged off the training of 1,000 Teachers in Math and English by Cambridge Publishers, in partnership with Kwara State Government; the induction ceremony of newly recruited Senior Secondary School teachers, as well as the US Embassy, sponsored the training of some teachers in our secondary schools. 

I sometimes had to delegate, and was represented in other events, as much as I would have attended; amongst such is being the Chairperson at the Kwara State chapter of Usmanu Danfodio University (UDUSOK) Alumni’s Annual Event, I truly feel honored to have been nominated by distinguished Danfodites.

I understand my role in our political system, especially as one of my principal’s representatives in my local government, as a Commissioner, especially being the only LG without a member representative from our party, in the State House of Assembly.

In the last few months, I have held several meetings with my people and given back sometimes. I have met with elders from my local government and also led them to meet with the Governor, to put requests from their various wards forward. I have visited some of the wards to give them a sense of belonging, sometimes inviting different groups over. 

I met with various groups of women and youths and won over a few others to our party. 

I donated chairs to the Ilorin South Local Government party secretariat, and a printer, to assist the continuous voter registration of our party supporters. I extended a similar gesture to the new office of my local government by birth, Ilorin East LGA.

One of my focuses is to ensure education for all; one of my favorite moments in the office this year was when in the company of the Director, Agency for Mass Education, we visited the community with the highest number is Out Of School Children (OOSC). We were well received. I hope that in the new year, with their support, as they promised us, we can get our children on the streets, into our classrooms to secure their future. 

I have also visited the various directorates of the ministry and I also inspected the Education Resource Center. We are making a good effort to strengthen the system, ensuring more functional directorates of the ministry, to enhance the overall delivery of the sector.

I sincerely appreciate His Excellency, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for finding me worthy of being a member of his cabinet and my support team members; the Perm. Secretary of the ministry and other officials, my Assistant, Media Partners, Driver, Officer, several other people who support our work, my friends and family for their kindness, commitment, and understanding.