Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State has announced that six children from each of the state’s 361 wards have been selected through examinations to enroll in newly established model schools providing free education.

The governor made this known on Thursday during the launch of the Dan Amana Tested and Trusted Initiative at Nagogo Primary School, Katsina, where orphans and vulnerable children were also given school supplies.

Radda explained that the merit-based selection process was designed to ensure fairness and transparency. “Our vision is to give these children quality education so that, in the next two or three decades, they will grow to contribute meaningfully to Katsina State,” he said.

Highlighting his administration’s broader educational interventions, the governor revealed, “We have already sponsored students from poor backgrounds to study medicine in Egypt and artificial intelligence in China. Performance, not favoritism, is the guiding principle for such opportunities.”

He described the event as highly significant, stressing that supporting the less privileged went beyond governance. “Supporting the less privileged is not only a social duty but also a spiritual obligation,” Radda stated, while commending teachers for their commitment and urging them to partner with the state government to sustain Katsina’s educational legacy.

Earlier in his remarks, the Director General of Dan Amana Tested and Trusted, Alhaji Suleiman Kabir Barda, said the initiative was created to expand access to education for disadvantaged children, especially orphans. “Today’s launch is only the beginning; we will continue visiting schools regularly,” he assured while distributing uniforms, books, and school bags. He further appealed to communities to embrace unity and collective responsibility in supporting vulnerable children.

Representing the Chairman of Katsina Local Government, Hon. Usman Yusuf Saulawa, the Deputy Chairman of the council, commended the project, saying it was both “noble and timely.”

The event was attended by the Commissioner for Higher, Technical, and Vocational Education, Dr. Muhammadu Isa; KYCV Coordinator, Engr. Kabir Abdullahi; education officials; headmasters; and community leaders.