No fewer than 10,000 school pupils in the Kwaya Kusar Local Government Area of Borno have received free educational materials to support their education.

The council’s education secretary, Salihu Ibrahim, stated this in an interview with journalists on Monday in Kwaya Kusar town.

Mr Ibrahim said the materials had been distributed by the state government to the pupils across primary and junior secondary schools.

According to him, some of the materials were used to intensify educational campaigns across villages, markets, farms and other locations to encourage parents to enrol their children.

“So far, the results are impressive, and we are keeping more children in school while enrolling new pupils.

“The materials include uniforms, sandals, exercise books, pencils, pens, mathematical sets, sports kits, first aid box and school bags,” he said.

The secretary added that through the support, the council had recorded more than 1,200 new enrolments since the term commenced over a month ago.

He stressed that with support from the state government and the council chairman, Dahiru Hamma, some schools that had earlier closed because of a dearth of teachers have reopened.

“We are currently having 78 primary and junior secondary schools in the council with a population of 42,350 pupils and students.

“The numbers are increasing because we are passionate about our children and what they could become in the future, if properly educated.

“We are strengthening monitoring to ensure that all our schools are functional and teachers’ truancy is tackled in the interest of our children,” he said.

Mr Ibrahim commended Governor Babagana Zulum for prioritising the education sector and investing resources towards protecting the future of Kwaya Kusar children.

He called on parents to take advantage of the state government’s investment in the sector to educate their children.

“As it stands today, no child should be left at home or in the street when everything needed for him or her to be in school has been provided.

“Parents in Kwaya Kusar need to support the government by enrolling their children in school as a way of guaranteeing their future,” he said.

(NAN)