By Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

Borno state government said public schools in the state capital, Maiduguri, will reopen in October after about two years of being closed as a result of the security challenges caused by Boko Haram insurgency, particularly the abduction of Chibok Girls.

Governor Kashim Shettima made this know on Friday in Maiduguri while receiving a report from the committee set up in August to work out ways for the reopening of the schools.

“Our decision to set up the committee was largely informed by the need to radically reinvigorate the sector with a view to making it a formidable model of excellence worthy of emulation,” the governor said.

Chairman of the committee, Gambo Gubio, while presenting the report said upon its inauguration on August 26, the committee immediately swung into action by visiting and assessing the schools occupied by internally displaced persons, IDPs, adding that 15 of the 142 public schools in the state capital are occupied by IDPs.

Gubio added that there is need for nine new schools with 78 classrooms to be built, with the distribution of students to existing schools discussed.

The committee tasked with ensuring that students return to school within a fortnight will be headed by the commissioner for education, Musa Inuwa Kubo, while other members include the commissioner for higher education, Usman Jaha; executive chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Shettima Kullima; chairman of the state Teachers Service Board, Suleiman Bello; the state chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, Justus Zare and representatives of the Commander of the 7 Division Nigerian Army, the state police commissioner, the state director of Department State Security, DSS.

Among other responsibilities the committee is to implement the report of the earlier committee, ensure the peaceful and orderly relocation of IDPs, and unfailingly reopen the schools not later than the first week of October 2015.