By Idris Kamal Ibrahim
Officials from the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) have demoted Sani Ahmed, a former head teacher of Hammadu-Kaffi Primary School in Akko Local Government Area of the state.
This decision comes after Ahmed spoke to WikkiTimes in an investigation that documented the terrible conditions of the school.
In an interview with WikkiTimes during his tenure as head teacher, Ahmed raised concerns about an unfinished project within the school premises.
WikkiTimes story had documented how in 2021, Coccon Nigeria Limited was awarded a contract by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs to construct a block of six classrooms and VIP toilets. The project which intended to address critical challenges faced by the school, remained incomplete.
The school’s teachers resorted to using their own resources to purchase essential teaching materials such as chalk, desks, and chairs for the over 2,000 students of the public primary school.
Additionally, both teachers and students shared just two latrine toilets—one for teachers and the other for its entire student population. Due to the strain on these facilities, they became unsanitary, and the school struggled to maintain cleanliness due to issues with the only hand-pump borehole, which had developed faults.
WikkiTimes reports that the Director of Budget at Gombe SUBEB, Dan’azumi, allegedly instructed the Akko Local Government Education Secretary, Abubakar Boyi, to demote Ahmed from his position as head teacher as a result of his media interview regarding these various issues that the board had not adequately addressed.
The director also ordered Ahmed’s transfer to a distant location as a form of punishment for granting an interview to journalists without seeking approval from his superiors.
Ahmed has been relocated to a remote primary school, Kalshinge Primary School, situated approximately eight kilometres away from his previous posting.
When contacted for comment, Gombe SUBEB declined to provide any statements on the matter and directed inquiries to Akko Local Government Education Secretary, Abubakar Boyi.
Boyi confirmed Ahmed’s transfer to Kalshingi Primary School and later to Beto Primary School within a month. He criticized Ahmed for divulging information without prior authorization, stating that he should have consulted with higher authorities before going public with the issues.
However, Boyi acknowledged Ahmed’s dedication to his teaching duties, describing him as a committed educator.
The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Gombe State Chapter said it was unaware of Ahmed’s case but pledged to investigate the matter further.