The Bauchi State Government has commenced the production of exercise books and chalk for onward distribution to schools across the state in a bid to boost academic excellence.
Dr. Muhammed Rimin-Zayam, the Commissioner for Education, made the announcement on Friday during an inspection of the production site at the Education Resource Center in Bauchi.
Rimin-Zayam stated that the program, launched with the cooperation of Governor Bala Mohammed, sought to reduce reliance on foreign contractors while also ensuring the availability of high-quality learning materials.
“You can see that exercise books are being locally made in Bauchi State under the supervision of the Ministry of Education with the support of Gov. Bala Mohammed. The fact that we can produce exercise books in Bauchi State is a great achievement. There is no point in going to China. By this development, it will phase out the number of undue, unqualified contractors that supply substandard materials,” he said.
The commissioner also disclosed that the state was not only producing exercise books and chalk but also rebranding existing textbooks to make them look new.
“If we can have our textbooks made and rebranded in the state, our chalk is being made here, too. What else do we need?” he added.
Rimin-Zayam described the ERC project as evidence that education was working in the state, emphasizing that the facility was developed to supply schools with locally made goods such as textbooks, exercise books, and chalk.
“When we are well fed, then we can think of exporting these chalks for revenue generation to the state and to the ministry as well. The chalks are made in millions, and the producers are our staff who are being paid,” he explained.
Also speaking, Kabiru Ahmed, Director of the Education Resource Centre, praised the workers’ dedication and efficiency in manufacturing exercise books, chalk, and rebranded textbooks.
He stated their dedication had greatly increased output, and the project had begun to provide the intended outcomes for Bauchi’s education sector.
On September 25, 2025, the Young Leaders Network, in partnership with the Bauchi State Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Budget, Economic Planning, and Multilateral Coordination, reviewed the state’s 2025 second-quarter budget performance in the education sector.
The conference was hosted as part of the Malala Fund’s Strengthening Advocacy for Girls Education Project, and it brought together education stakeholders as well as representatives from relevant ministries and agencies.
