The Katsina State government has announced plans to open literacy classes for repentant bandits in the state as part of efforts to reintegrate them into the society.

The executive director of the state’s agency for mass education, Bilkisu Muhammad-Kakai, revealed this to newsmen in Katsina on Sunday.

She said: “The agency is ready to deploy facilitators to run the classes, where both Islamic and western education will be offered to change their behaviour and lifestyle.

“We will liaise with local government chairmen to open the classes in phases. The core subjects are islamic and western education.”

The executive director, who reviewed the performance of the agency within the last six months, said the agency had opened 68 new adult education classes.

Mts Muhammad-Kakai further explained that government had also opened a basic post literacy Clclass at Katsina Correction Centre.

“The Basic Post Literacy Class is to assist enrolled inmates to reach up to university to obtain a degree certificate,” she added.

According to her, she toured all the local government areas and inspected adult education classes and women centres to assess their condition.

She said the state government had made financial provision in this year’s budget to address problems facing them.

Mrs Muhammad-Kakai also commended Gov. Dikko Radda for supporting the agency to carry out its mandate.

She used the medium to appeal to members of the National Assembly from the state to work with the agency to open more adult literacy and women centres.

“The National Assembly members should provide some percentage of their constituency allowance for the running of adult education classes in their areas to wipe out illiteracy,” she pleaded.

On several occasions, Mr Radda vowed not to seek for any dialogue with the bandits, except when they willingly surrender.

However, in recent times, there were series of dialogues which were reportedly facilitated by some forces from the federal level.

(NAN)