The Sokoto State Government Wednesday said principals of government secondary schools in the state would soon write examinations to ascertain their proficiency.
The state Commissioner, Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Jabbi Kilgori, made this known at the opening of a three-day sensitisation workshop organised by the ministry in collaboration with the state chapter of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), for Principal in the state.
He stated that incumbent principals must write the examinations to ascertain their proficiency and capabilities to manage the schools.
“Incumbent principals and anyone who will be appointed as principal must write such examinations to know whether they are fit to be appointed as so.
“Any of the existing principals who fails the examinations will be weeded out and redeployed back to the classrooms,’’ Kilgori said.
The commissioner pointed out that the principals will henceforth serve for a term of four years which is renewable only once for meritorious performance.
According to him, the state government had instituted a reward and punishment system for the principals to reward excellence, as well as reprimand indiscipline, respectively.
Kilgori stated that these were part of the measures introduced to ensure the successful implementation of the state of emergency on education already declared in the state. In a remark, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Bashir Garba, said the state government had allocated about 28 per cent of its 2016 budget to education.
He emphasised that the move was part of the strategies evolved to revive education in the state.
Tambuwal underscored the need for principals to be disciplined, prudent, innovative and resourceful in managing their schools.
The Presidentof ANCOPSS in the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Marafa, said the workshop was meant to enhance the skills and knowledge of the principals to operate in line with global best practices.
