The Borno State government has enrolled thousands of school children without parents in Monguno – one of the towns worst hit by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.
Governor Babagana Zulum, who has been undertaking a series of humanitarian and developmental activities in northern Borno since Sunday, personally supervised the enrolment exercise on Wednesday.
A total number of 5,361 children – between the ages of seven and 13 years – were registered during the two-day exercise.
They are part of over the 50,000 children either orphaned by Boko Haram or whose parents and relations have been missing as a result of attacks on several communities by the insurgents since 2009.
Each of them will be given uniforms and writing materials, as well as free meals in their respective schools.
The beneficiaries were registered in the presence of their guardians who gave their biographic details, including places of displacement and indigenous local governments.
Although the enrollment exercise was for orphans and children without parents, other parents trooped out with their children to demand the enrolment of their children.
Zulum, who promised to look into their request, appealed to guardians of all the beneficiaries to ensure their wards attend school regularly.
He also revealed the plan of the state government to engage Islamiyya teachers to teach guardians and other adults willing to learn.
While in Monguno, the governor also approved scholarships from primary to tertiary education for children of members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), hunters, and vigilantes fighting Boko Haram insurgents.
He supported volunteers with cash of N5,000 each and released patrol vehicles and other working tools to ease their work.
Governor Zulum assured them that with their sacrifices, the state government would create opportunities for their children to obtain western education in order to look forward to a promising future.
He was accompanied to Monguno by Speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, as well as some commissioners and top government officials.
