The Executive Chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), Kassim Muhammad-Kassim, has vowed to recover all government-owned desks and chairs allegedly sold by some education secretaries and headmasters to private schools across the state.

Muhammad-Kassim made this declaration on Wednesday during his maiden meeting with education secretaries from the 13 Local Government Areas and 18 Development Areas of the state.

“Our students cannot be sitting on the floor while headmasters and education secretaries sell furniture we provided,” he said. “I have visited schools and seen firsthand how children sit on floors, yet records show furniture was provided. I will not tolerate this under my administration.”

He revealed that he had already contacted the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations to support a task force dedicated to identifying and recovering diverted government furniture.

The SUBEB chairman also issued a series of warnings and directives to education secretaries:Cease illegal deductions from teachers’ salaries unless explicitly approved for disciplinary reasons, Stop allocating school lands for small businesses without NSUBEB’s authorization, Ensure contractors deliver quality work, noting that poorly executed school renovations would lead to revoked contracts and withheld payments.

 “We cannot renovate a school this year and have the same structures renovated next year. It indicates a problem in the initial contractor’s work. We will not pay contractors until we are satisfied with the quality of work,” he stated.

In a major policy move, Muhammad-Kassim ordered the redeployment of 1,300 administrative staff—out of 3,422—from offices to classrooms to address teacher shortages, particularly in rural areas.

 “The Board will not tolerate a situation where there are numerous supervisors in urban areas while rural schools lack teachers,” he said.

He also announced that the state had secured approval to recruit 4,800 new teachers, specifically for rural postings. The recruitment campaign is titled: "Recruitment of Teachers in Rural Areas", and all applicants must be ready to serve outside urban centers.

Muhammad-Kassim stressed that his appointment by Governor Abdullahi Sule was to reform the state’s basic education system, and he pledged to pursue that mandate, even if it meant making unpopular decisions.

 “It will no longer be business as usual,” he concluded.