The Sokoto State Government had established three new Arabic secondary schools, while 10 other Islamiyya schools were upgraded to junior secondary schools.
Executive Secretary of the State Arabic and Islamic Board, Ahmed Baba-Altine, said this while fielding questions from journalists in Sokoto Thursday.
He said the new schools have been located in each of the three senatorial zones of the state.
“The schools and their locations are: Sultan Muhammadu Tambari Arabic Secondary School Illela, Modibbo Adama Girls’ Arabic Secondary School Maruda and Muhammadu Moyijjo Arabic Secondary School, Dagawa.
“Admission process has been completed and the schools will formally take off for the 2016/2017 academic session on September 24.
“With the new schools, Sokoto state now has fifteen Arabic Secondary Schools, across the state, with four dedicated for female students only. The schools run an integrated system of education encompassing both western and Islamic education,” he explained.
Baba-Altine pointed out that, the syllabuses of the schools were produced by the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Education.
He added that the board prepared and marked their examinations.
“The questions are produced both in Arabic and English, while the candidates also had the options of answering in both languages.
“The integrated system had greatly reduced the problem of apathy of western education in the state.
“The system had also helped in shoring up the enrolment, retention and completion rates of students, including girl-children by nearly one hundred per cent.
“For instance, from 9000 students’ enrolments in 2014, the figure had doubled in 2016, while 22,000 students are now being targeted,” he added.
He commended the state government for its sustained support, even as he urged parents to reciprocate the gesture by enrolling their children in schools.
