The Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Yusuf, has announced N20,000 stipend for schoolgirls in the state to encourage them to attend school.

The governor, who made the announcement on Sunday in his Independence Day speech at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kofar Mata, Kano, said over 45,000 schoolgirls would benefit from the pilot scheme.

He said, “To support girls-child education and encourage parents to send their daughters to school, we are issuing a stipend of N20,000 to over 45,000 girl-child as a pilot scheme to support them to continue schooling. We are also re-introducing the girl-child school buses to transport them to and from schools.”

Yusuf also announced that his administration would establish more primary and secondary schools across the 44 local government areas of the state “in our quest to mop up all out-of-school children roaming our streets.”

He added, “Schools are being renovated in batches; we are providing free uniforms, school bags, and shoes at the pilot stage, and we are providing free exercise books and textbooks to primary and Junior Secondary School pupils. And arrangements have reached an advanced stage in providing one free meal (per day) to primary school pupils.”

The governor said his administration would also be sponsoring 1001 first-class graduates to study for Master’s degrees at universities abroad.

He restated the commitment and determination of his administration to tackle the challenges of unemployment, poverty, and youth restiveness bedeviling the country.

On the independence anniversary, Yusuf paid a glowing tribute to the great nationalists and patriotic freedom fighters who sacrificed everything to ensure the freedom of the nation.