Yahaya Embarks on Education Reforms in Gombe, Merges Ministries

In a bid to revamp the education sector in Gombe State, Governor Muhammadu Yahaya has initiated a series of reforms, including the merger of the Ministries of Education and Higher Education. This move is part of the governor's efforts to reposition the state's education system in line with its 10-year development agenda. The governor made this known while receiving a report from the Taskforce Committee on the Reforms and Revitalisation of Basic and Technical Education in the state. The report, presented by Tom Maiyashi, a member of the committee and an educationist, alongside the Commissioner for Education and taskforce chairman, Dr Aishatu Maigari, highlights the need for structural reforms in the education sector. Yahaya described the report as a critical blueprint for transforming the state's education system, assuring that his administration would not shelve the recommendations. The governor explained that the ongoing restructuring is aimed at strengthening coordination, improving policy implementation, and enhancing service delivery across the state's education sector. According to him, the merger of the two ministries is a step in the right direction, as it is in line with the federal government's structure. The governor also reflected on the state of the education sector when his administration took office in 2019, noting that several interventions had been undertaken to address infrastructure, teacher development, school enrolment, and access to quality education. Maiyashi commended the governor for constituting the committee and providing the necessary support, noting that the report is an honest assessment of the challenges confronting basic and technical education in Gombe. The commissioner for education stated that the taskforce was inaugurated in November 2025 to undertake a comprehensive assessment of basic and technical education across the state. The committee was mandated to develop actionable strategies, recommend practical reforms, and address challenges undermining the effective delivery of education in the state. Other members of the task force include former Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, Dr Nura Yakubu, and former Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr Hamid Bobboyi. The state government has assured that the implementation of the recommendations would complement ongoing interventions and provide a more coordinated approach to addressing longstanding challenges in basic and technical education.