The Bauchi State Government says it has concluded plans to separate boys from girls in the public schools across the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.

The development came as a result of identifying cases reported by the schools’ headmasters over some students’ attitudes of using markers to write different words on their bodies, particularly during their last examination papers

The Bauchi State Commissioner of Education, Dr Usman Tilde, made this known while speaking to newsmen immediately after the state executive meeting at the Government House in Bauchi on Monday.

Tilde noted that the decision was a result of lackadaisical attitudes in most of the secondary schools in the state, adding that the attitudes of the students in the combined schools were becoming alarming and worrisome.

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The commissioner said: “It’s not a fiction, it is real, because we caught some of them in the act, hence the need to end the situation.

“A girl was caught displaying her breasts for one of her classmates to write words at their last paper in one of the day secondary school.

“While others go beyond by engaging into candle inter-marriage through payment of dowry of either given out Hijab, handset, shoes to the female counterparts and got married at the school without the knowledge of the teachers.

“The government decided to replace with the old system of only boys or girls burden secondary schools to protect and sustain the enrollment number of school students in the state. The policy has no motive implications for any person, group, or religion.

“We try not to disabuse the minds of the parents who sacrifice and volunteer in sending their children to school, particularly among the female counterpart. If we allowed, it will reluctantly discourage the parents to allow their children to go further.”

Tilde added that the new policy would enhance retention and mistreatment among students in Bauchi State.

The Star