Since the beginning of armed banditry in Zamfara, education has suffered serious setback since communities in their dozens have been displaced and people dispersed.
Children of school age are either forced to move to some temporary places to look for shelter or be on the street to beg for meals.
In some areas, school facilities are either taken over by the security operatives as a camp or dominated by communities that suffered banditry disaster.
For close to six years, especially after the invasion of Jangebe and Kaya schools in Zamfara, boarding schools were completely shut down.
At least 39 schools, including both primary and secondary schools, have been permanently shut down due to the threat posed by armed banditry activities.
Daily Trust check revealed that, “n Zamfara State, many schools have remained shut for over six years in bandits-prone LGAs such as Anka, Tsafe, and Kaura Namoda. Only a handful in Anka town remains functional under military protection”.
The affected schools reported by the Nigerian based newspaper include: Kawaye Primary School, Dawangiye Primary School, Tubuki Primary School, Tungar Ku-da-ku Primary School, Duza Primary School, Tungar Mata Primary School, Tamani Primary School, Makakari Primary School, and Sunke Primary School.
Others are: Sabon Birni GDSS, Sabon Birni Primary School, Jar Kuka Primary School, Abare Primary School, Duhuwa Primary School, Mayanchi Primary School, Fangaltama Primary School, and Dareta Primary School.
In Tsafe, schools like GSS Danjibga, GSS Yankuzo, Makera Primary School, GSS Wanzamai and Sugawa Primary School are now occupied by troops.
Danjibga, Yankuzo, and Wamzamai secondary schools have been taken over by soldiers. But Makera and Sungawa were left empty for this long. Our children, especially the primary school pupils, have stopped going to school, while only a few secondary school students were able to continue with their studies in other places,”
Now with the policy of shutting boarding schools in Zamfara state the government of Zamfara insisted that it has invested huge billions of naira into rehabilitation and renovation of schools in various local government areas of the state.
The effort by the government of Zamfara is seen like one step forward and two step backward due to consistent armed bandit threats.
