Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has approved the award of a contract for the supply of 15,716 desks to primary schools across the state.

The Executive Chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr Kassim Muhammed-Kassim, disclosed this to journalists on Wednesday in Lafia, the state capital.

Muhammed-Kassim said the intervention followed the alarming state of infrastructure discovered in many public primary schools during unscheduled visits by government officials.

He explained, “I informed the governor about the true state of our primary schools, and he wasted no time in approving the contract for the supply of 15,716 chairs and desks to various schools across the state.

“He also directed the contractor to deliver the furniture within one month for immediate distribution to the schools.”

The SUBEB chairman, who embarked on inspection tours across several schools, said he witnessed the deplorable conditions under which pupils were being taught.

“I have been to classrooms to assess the furniture situation; I took pictures of students sitting on bare floors. In many schools, pupils are either standing or sitting directly on the floor.

“Some classrooms have no chairs at all, while others contain broken or damaged furniture. Pupils are forced to sit on remnants of chairs, or stand by the wall, either facing or turning away from the blackboard,” he said.

Describing the learning environment as dire, Muhammed-Kassim said the current state of affairs posed a serious threat to the academic future of the pupils.

“The children are eager to learn, but the environment is discouraging. I have seen firsthand the precarious conditions they face, and I am determined to change the situation for the better.

“I am happy that Governor Sule is giving us all the support we need. We will transform the system and make public basic education more attractive in Nasarawa State.

“I will not sit behind a desk. I am a field chairman, and I am committed to ensuring that basic education under my watch truly works. Yes, it is doable, and we will change the narrative,” he added.