Kashim Shettima, Governor of Borno state, says public secondary schools in the state which have been shut since March 2013 will re-open for academic activities next Monday. He made the remark on Tuesday while receiving Mr Rolf Ree, the Norwegian ambassador to Nigeria at his office in Maiduguri. He said, however, that the action was limited to day schools only.
From Monday, academic activities will commence in earnest in all day secondary schools across the state. Very soon, efforts will also be made to re-open all the boarding schools too.
He commended the Norwegian government for its support to the state, including this in his statement:
I wish to thank you for the support shown us, you have done so much for us. You have shown so much support to our traumatised people.
Ambassador Ree had told the governor that his visit was aimed at solidifying relationships between the two governments. Activities of Boko Haram insurgents in schools in neighbouring Yobe State, made the Borno State government order closure of its schools. The state government had last week commenced the construction of 2, 500 family shelters for internally displaced persons (IDPs) taking refuge in public schools in Maiduguri to give room for the relocation of the IDPs and allow the schools to re-open.
