Kano govt declares state of emergency in education, recruits 10,000 teachers
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has declared a state of emergency on the education sector in Kano, emphasizing the critical need for significant improvements to secure the future of the state’s children.
Speaking at an event in Kano on Saturday, Governor Yusuf highlighted the alarming number of out-of-school children, totaling 989,234, and the dire conditions within schools. “Over 4.7 million students lack proper seating, forced to learn on the floor. Additionally, roughly 400 schools have only one teacher for all subjects.”
Governor Yusuf blamed the previous administration for eight years of neglect, which resulted in dilapidated infrastructure, a shortage of qualified teachers, and inadequate training programs. He called for a united effort to address these issues, noting that Kano has 7,057 primary schools and 49 science and technical schools.
“In primary and junior secondary schools, a mere 22% meet basic standards. The situation worsens in senior secondary schools, where less than 30% are considered usable. Science and technical schools, vital for fostering innovation, are in the most critical state, with less than 20% of classrooms meeting basic requirements.”
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Governor Yusuf emphasized moving forward with solutions rather than solely blaming the past administration. “I avoided solely blaming the previous administration, instead focusing on the collective effort needed to rebuild Kano’s educational infrastructure.”
He announced the permanent employment of 5,636 individuals currently enrolled in the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) program, with full pension benefits.
Additionally, he approved the hiring of 10,000 more teachers, who will receive periodic training to ensure they become caring educators. “At least 1,000 academic and non-academic staff will be employed into tertiary institutions,” he said.
Former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso commended Yusuf’s dedication to education despite legal challenges, drawing parallels with his own experience handling crises during his second term.
Kwankwaso praised Yusuf’s commitment to improving educational infrastructure, teaching materials, and teacher recruitment, and encouraged newly screened teachers to accept postings in rural areas.
He expressed confidence that Yusuf’s state of emergency and focus on budgetary allocation will significantly improve educational outcomes in Kano.