More than 5,000 school structures were destroyed and about 2.2 million children forced out of school at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency in Borno State, Governor Babagana Zulum has disclosed.
Zulum said the devastating impact of more than a decade of insurgency left the state’s education sector in ruins, with fewer than 500,000 children enrolled in school at the height of the crisis.
The governor spoke on Sunday in Maiduguri while inaugurating a number of completed projects, including schools, a flyover and road infrastructure.
According to him, the insurgency also claimed the lives of many teachers and school administrators who continued to serve despite the dangers.
“The insurgency destroyed more than 5,000 school structures, while at its peak, an estimated 2.2 million children were out of school, with fewer than 500,000 enrolled,” Zulum said.
He said the state government had made the rebuilding of education infrastructure a major priority as part of efforts to restore normalcy and give children affected by the insurgency a chance to rebuild their future.
Zulum formally commissioned the Larawaram Community Senior Secondary School, Shehu Sanda Kyarimi I Primary and Junior Secondary School, the Post Office nine-span flyover and the dualised 2.5-kilometre road from Budum Tandari Junction to Kasuwan Shanu, alongside five kilometres of drainage.
The governor stressed that rebuilding the education sector was not simply about putting up new buildings.
“It is about restoring access to education, rebuilding confidence in our communities and providing our children with the opportunity to secure a better future,” he said.
Zulum disclosed that his administration had invested N46.98 billion in basic and secondary education during the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years.
He said the newly commissioned projects formed part of a wider programme under which 136 additional projects had been completed and were awaiting commissioning.
The governor said his administration had also expanded classroom facilities and other basic infrastructure in public pre-primary and primary schools across the state.
According to him, the number of usable classrooms has risen to 5,792, while usable water, sanitation and hygiene facilities increased to 4,563.
At the senior secondary level, Zulum said the number of functional schools had increased dramatically from 34 in eight local government areas in 2019 to 129 schools across 25 local government areas in 2026.
He said the expansion had also translated into a significant rise in school enrolment.
According to the governor, the number of learners increased from 766,551 in 2019 to 1,801,295 in 2026, representing an increase of more than one million children within seven years.
Zulum attributed the increase to expanded access, improved public confidence and sustained investment in the education sector.
“These indicators demonstrate the scale of our efforts to expand educational access, restore infrastructure and improve the learning environment for our children,” he said.
The governor said the education recovery programme remained central to rebuilding communities affected by insurgency and ensuring that children who lost years of schooling could regain access to quality education.
