63-yr-old Kaduna pupil says he wants university degree

A 63-year-old primary school pupil in Kaduna state, Danjuma Aliyu, has said he wants to earn a university degree following Governor Nasir El-Rufa'i's free education promise.

Aliyu who is popularly called is enrolled the Kachia Primary School, Kachia, as a Primary One pupil, studying alongside children young enough to be his grandchildren.

But he is focused on studying until he earns a university degree.

"I want to read and write and acquire a university degree," Lambu told Daily Trust.

The Sexagenarian said is uneducated at his age because his parents did not believe in education.

"Our parents didn't allow us to go to schools when we were growing up, to the extent of instructing us to hide whenever officials of the native authority were looking for children of school age.

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"If I had attended schools then, I would have contributed a lot to the society but I hope to do that still."

Lambu said he found hope again after El-Rufa'i said in August that all pupils attending state-owned public primary and secondary schools in Kaduna will get it all for free, with free daily feeding and uniforms to boot.

"The governor promised to offer free education at primary and secondary schools and that gave me much impetus to start schooling at the age of 63 years," Lambu added.

"I hope to accomplish my aim in life."

The immediate past governor of the state, Ramalan Yero, had said the promise of free education is 'laughable', but El-Rufa'i fulfilled his promise.

He also recently said his government plans to bring e-learning to the state by distributing free customized tablets contain all senior secondary school textbooks to students.