THE EFFORTS TOWARDS TRANSFORMING EDUCATION THROUGH TANGIBLE REFORMS (2023–2025) UNDER THE STEWARDSHIP OF HIS EXCELLENCY, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF KANO STATE ALHAJI ABBA KABIRU YUSUF FROM 2023 – 2025
By Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya,
Hon. Commissioner,
Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs,
28th July, 2025
PART 1
Preamble
Education remains the most powerful tool through which a society builds its future by cultivating human capital, reducing poverty, promoting equity and inspiring innovation. In Kano State, this vision is not a distant dream but a determined mission being pursued with purposefulness,, clarity and practical action.
Upon assumption of office, His Excellency, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, made a bold and decisive declaration of the State of Emergency on education. That education must be rescued, reformed and revitalized. This was not merely a political statement, and it has been a visible commitment backed by action, investment and adoption of a strategic resolution. In a sector marked by years of infrastructural decay, policy inertia, neglect occasioned by the rising numbers of out-of-school children, the Kano State Government through the Ministry of Education, embarked on delivering nothing short of an educational renaissance.
And, this is a task the Ministry has been impressively facing, and building incredibly positive records along as it strides on.
Thus this article captures the transformational strides recorded by the Kano State Government from 2023 to date. It reflects a period of intense activity, a time when strategic planning met purposeful execution, and bold reforms that gave birth to remarkable progress.
At the heart of this transformation, is a vision, which is to ensure that every child in Kano, regardless of background or social status, has access to quality, inclusive and equitable education.
This vision is being realized through a multi- dimentional approach that includes large-scale infrastructure development, strategic teacher recruitment and training, curriculum reforms and vibrant community engagement.
It also incorporates evidence-based policymaking, robust partnerships with donor agencies and the bold reintroduction of a genuine free education.
However, the achievements documented here are not the end of the journey. Rather, they mark the foundation of a new era of educational excellence, an era where no child would be left behind, where every classroom inspires learning, and where schools become agents of opportunities and social change.
This is, therefore, both a record of progress and a reaffirmation of commitment.
1.MANDATE AND STRATEGIC FOCUS
The Kano State Government, through the Ministry of Education as the cornerstone of educational transformation institution in the state, entrusted with the responsibility of:
Policy Development and Implementation: Formulating and executing strategic policies tailored to Kano’s unique educational pursuit while aligning with national standards.
Curriculum Supervision: Ensuring localized implementation of a curriculum that reflects cultural, economic and academic relevance.
Teacher Development: Empowering educators through continuous training to deliver high-quality instruction.
Infrastructure Expansion: Renovating, constructing and maintaining learning facilities to provide inclusive and conducive environments.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Upholding standards through regular inspections, quality assurance mechanisms and data-driven evaluations.
Equity and Access: Promoting inclusive education for all, especially girls, children with disabilities and underserved rural populations.
Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborating with local and international partners to drive systemic improvements and resource mobilization.
Public Awareness and Advocacy: Promoting enrollment and retention through community sensitization and grassroots campaigns.
THE LANDMARK ACHIEVEMENTS AND REFORMS (2023–2025)
1. Declaration of State of Emergency in Education
Provision and Allocation of 29% of the 2024 State budget to Education sector – This is not only a deliberate commitment to rescue the education sector in the State, but also a manifestation of a genuine intention to transform the sector
In June 2024, His Excellency, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, declared a State of Emergency in the education sector. This bold move catalyzed massive investments in infrastructure, teacher recruitment and stakeholder engagement.
Highlights of this include Launch of the Kano Education Emergency Conference (KEEC);
Development of the Kano Education Emergency Recovery Plan (KEERP), and
Adoption of a Mutual Accountability Framework (MAF)
2. LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY OVERHAUL
For the first time in 60 years, the outdated 1964 Education Law was reviewed. In collaboration with donor agencies, the Ministry also updated and validated key educational policies, including: Teacher Development Policy; Inclusive Early Childhood Development (IECD);
Girls’ Education Policy;
Non-State Schools Policy, and
Gender Equity and Inclusion Strategy
3. MASSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
To meet growing demand and improve learning conditions, the Abba Kabir Yusuf led administration intensified school construction and renovation efforts which resulted in deliverables like the construction of
176 new classrooms and 88 head teacher offices across all the 44 LGAs;
Renovation of over 1,200 schools under the AGILE project;
Distribution of over 120,000 three-seater desks, and Equipping of 100 Secondary Schools with ICT and Science laboratory tools
4. BOOSTING TEACHER CAPACITY AND RECRUITMENT
In order to reduce the student-teacher ratio and enhance education quality, the State Government carried out the following:
Recruitment of 10,000 BESDA Ad-hoc teachers as permanent staff;
Ongoing screening of an additional 4,000 teachers at SUBEB;
Teacher training programmes conducted through SUBEB, SAME, STSB, and others, and
Approval for recruitment of 17,600 school security watchmen
5. STRENGTHENING ACCESS, INCLUSION AND EQUITY
To reduce the out-of-school population (estimated at 989,234 as of 2023), the State Government took some initiatives such as the construction of 130 new schools (75 JSS and 55 SSS) under the AGILE project;
Introduction of Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT) for Girl-Child Education (54,000+ beneficiaries);
Radio Literacy classes in underserved communities (176 centers serving 7,040 learners);
Accelerated Basic Education Programme (ABEP) in 5 LGAs through PLAN International, and
Establishment of 29 Literacy Centers for hawking girls.
6. FREE EDUCATION POLICY IMPLEMENTATION
Since its legalization in 2023, the Free Education Policy has led to the distribution of over 1.3 million free uniforms;
Free JAMB forms for 10,000 students annually (2024 & 2025);
Continuous feeding programmes in 23 Boarding Schools (₦2.2 billion spent in two years); Payment of NECO, NBAIS, NABTEB exam fees backlog, which Ganduje led administration refused to pay (₦628 million for 4 years), and increase in students’ enrollment, retention and completion
Revival and renovation of 13 closed boarding schools that were shut down by the previous administration across the state
7. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Community involvement is central to educational reform in Kano.Key actions in this regard include: the
A. Establishment of SBMC and CBMC in all public schools;
B. Formation of KSAFE (Kano State Accountability Forum on Education) with CSOs partners through PLANE Nigeria
C. Regular town hall meetings and stakeholder dialogues to ensure transparency
8. MULTI- PATNER COLLABORATION DRIVING CHANGE
The Kano State Government through the Ministry of Education has secured diverse partnerships, supporting infrastructure, literacy, teacher development and gender equity.
Major Collaborations are
PLANE (FCDO): Covers 11 LGAs, supports 1,112 schools, and benefits over 330,000 students;
UNESCO-Korea BEAR III: Boosting TVET sector relevance and quality;
KOICA Smart School: Digital tools and teacher exchange programmes;
UNICEF: Learning Passport, ECCDE support, digital literacy, and Conditional Cash Transfers, and
others:
Save the Children, AHIP, EdConnect, PLAN International, and alumni networks
9. FUTURE PRIORITIES (2025/2026 Academic Year)
In alignment with Governor Yusuf’s Education Agenda, the Kano State Ministry of Education focus include: Infrastructure upgrades and education emergency reforms;
Continuous teacher training and capacity building;
Enhancing access and inclusion, especially in rural areas; deepening community and stakeholder engagement, and Strengthening sectoral systems and institutional accountability
In a renewed commitment towards achieving an education for all children in Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf led administration, provided and allocated 31% of the 2025 annual budget to Education sector alone. This I believe is a clear testament that, Abba Kabir Yusuf is committed and has shown a practical political will to fully revamp the education sector for the benefits of all in the State
Let us join hands as good citizens of the State to support this Government, through objective and constructive criticism, which would help in supporting the implementation of these laudable initiatives aimed at overhauling the entire system
We can equally support the Government through monitoring of all Government projects, to ensure that, things are done the right way.
Let us try to support this wonderful and genuinely citizens driven Government for the transformation of our dear State
In conclusion, however, the Kano State Government through the Ministry of Education, is on a transformational journey, redefining public education through courageous leadership, inclusive policy reforms, community ownership and effective partnerships. There is no doubt that these strides made between 2023 and 2025 form a strong foundation for greater achievements in the years ahead.