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K-SAFE seeks partnership with Plan International to improve education in Kano
The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) has called for strengthened collaboration with Plan International to improve education outcomes in Kano State, particularly in addressing the growing number of out-of-school children.
The call was made during an advocacy visit by K-SAFE to Plan International, where stakeholders from both organisations discussed strategies to enhance education service delivery and monitoring in the state.
Speaking during the visit, Co-chairperson of K-SAFE (CSO), Dr Auwalu Halilu, described Plan International as a key partner in improving the education sector in Kano.
Dr Auwalu Halilu
He noted that Kano continues to face challenges of high out-of-school children due to its large population and the influx of migrants from neighbouring states affected by insecurity.
Dr Halilu said the visit was aimed at identifying areas of collaboration, particularly in the implementation of ABEP, and commended Plan International for its interventions, including teacher training and other education support initiatives.
Dr Auwalu Halilu
He also urged the organisation to support budget analysis, school enrolment campaigns, and the engagement of K-SAFE members in monitoring its interventions, as well as involving them as volunteers in its programmes.
The chairman advocacy subcommittee of K-SAFE, Hassan Ibrahim Gama, described the forum as a co-creation of civil society organisations, government, and the media, working to promote accountability in the education sector.
Hassan Ibrahim Gama
He said K-SAFE is actively engaged in budget tracking, performance assessment, and monitoring of government and development partners’ interventions as third-party monitors to ensure sustainability.
Gama disclosed that the forum is planning a comprehensive three-year assessment of the education sector in Kano State, covering 2023 to 2026, to evaluate progress and identify gaps.
K-SAFE leadership
According to him, K-SAFE is also supporting the Accelerated Basic Education Programme (ABEP) aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children in the state.
Responding, Advocacy Officer of Plan International, Alhassan Hamza Hussain, acknowledged K-SAFE’s role in supporting the organisation at the early stage of its operations in Kano.
Alhassan Hamza Hussain
He said Plan International has been operating in Nigeria since 2014, focusing on advancing children’s rights and promoting equality for girls, while addressing challenges such as poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination.
Hussain outlined the organisation’s key areas of intervention to include ensuring access to safe education, reducing maternal and child mortality, providing nutritional support, protecting children from violence, and empowering young people to demand accountability.
He emphasised that partnerships with communities, government, NGOs, and other stakeholders remain central to achieving these goals, describing collaboration with K-SAFE as a significant opportunity.
He also called for the institutionalisation of the ABEP, noting that the National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has developed implementation guidelines for adoption by states.
Project Coordinator of Plan International, Mr Oke David, urged K-SAFE to champion the restructuring of Community-Based Management Committees (CBMCs) across Kano State, describing the partnership as fruitful.
Mr Oke David
Key resolutions reached during the meeting include capacity building for K-SAFE members, collaboration on community awareness campaigns, engagement of K-SAFE members as master trainers under the ABEP, integration of Plan International programmes into K-SAFE’s and conducting budget performance assessments in the education sector.
Both organisations expressed commitment to sustained collaboration to improve access to quality education and strengthen accountability mechanisms in Kano State.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim ANIPR
Public Relations Officer,
K-SAFE
Ibrahim Khalil
The Kano State Police Command has arrested eight suspects in separate operations targeting drug peddling and thuggery in Panshekara and Kunchi/Ghari Local Government Area.
KANO FOCUS reports that the command disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori.
According to the statement, the operations, conducted on September 9, 2026, were part of the command’s intelligence-driven efforts to tackle drug abuse, thuggery and violent crimes across the state.
It said operatives of the Surveillance Team attached to Panshekara Police Division, acting on credible intelligence at about 2:30 p.m., intercepted eight suspects, including a 21-year-old man identified as Samson Yakubu of Samegu Quarters, at a suspected criminal hotspot.
A search of the suspects reportedly led to the recovery of 15 Pregabalin capsules, five Diazepam tablets, 10 Exol tablets and some quantity of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.
The police said the suspects were in custody and undergoing interrogation, while investigations were ongoing to establish the source of the suspected illicit drugs and identify other members of the alleged syndicate.
In a related operation conducted between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. the same day, operatives of the Kunchi/Ghari Division carried out a coordinated market patrol and raid at Matanfada Market.
The command said the area had been identified as a place where youths allegedly intimidate traders and residents during market sessions.
Five suspects were arrested during the operation. They were identified as Abdullahi Isah of Dustin; Haruna Isah of Daqarawa Village; Habu Badamasi of Dan Taimu Village; Gambo Ya’u of Kura Village; and Abubakar Dahiru of Farau Village.
The police said investigation was ongoing to identify and arrest other suspected accomplices, while exhibits recovered during the operation had been taken into custody as evidence.
CP Bakori commended the operatives for what he described as their professionalism and swift response, assuring residents that the command would sustain its operations against drug abuse, thuggery and other violent crimes.
“In line with the IGP’s policing vision and our mandate to ensure a safe and secure Kano, we will continue to be proactive,” the commissioner said.
“We are sending a clear message to criminal elements that Kano State will not be a breeding ground for their activities.”
The command also appreciated members of the public, community leaders and vigilante groups for providing information that aided the operations.
It urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station.
The command said all suspects would be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The funeral prayer for the late Shehu Kabir Bayero, Barde Kerarriya of Kano and District Head of Dorayi, was held on Thursday evening at Kofar Kudu, Kano Emir’s Palace.
KANO FOCUS reports that the prayer was led by the Chief Imam of Khamsus Salawati Mosque, Kofar Kudu, Malam Bello, and attended by hundreds of people from different parts of Kano State.
Among those who attended were the Secretary to the Kano State Government, Alhaji Umar Faruk; representative of the Emir of Kano, Matawallen Kano, Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim Matawalle; Chief of Staff to the Kano State Government House, Dr Sani Wali; as well as district heads and members of the Muslim community.
Shehu Kabir Bayero died in a hospital in Egypt following a period of illness. He is survived by his wives, children and other relatives.
Until his death, the late Bayero served as Commissioner of Police in Gombe and Osun states before retiring from the Nigeria Police Force.
Following his retirement, the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, appointed him as the Barde Kerarriya of Kano and District Head of Takai Local Government Area after the death of his father, the late Kabir Bayero, an elder brother of the former emir.
He later served as District Head of Gwarzo.
Due to his wealth of experience in security matters, the current Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi II, subsequently reassigned him as District Head of Dorayi, where he was expected to contribute to the sustenance of peace and security in the area.
The late district head was remembered for his service to the state and his experience in security and traditional administration.
May Allah forgive his shortcomings, have mercy on his soul and grant him Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Ministry of Education, with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has held a planning meeting on the implementation and effective utilisation of the Nigeria Learning Passport (NLP) in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the meeting brought together relevant stakeholders from various ministries, agencies and development partners working in the education sector.
According to Malam Naziru Sirajo, deputy director EMIS and statistics in the Ministry of Education, the meeting was aimed at reviewing the current status of the Nigeria Learning Passport in Kano and developing a coordinated plan to strengthen its implementation, content utilisation, course completion, monitoring of learners’ progress and certification.
The Nigeria Learning Passport is a digital learning platform designed to provide Nigerian children and young people with access to curriculum-aligned educational content, including lessons, learning materials and assessments.
The platform is also designed to support learning continuity, including for learners facing limited or intermittent internet connectivity, while providing teachers and education stakeholders with digital resources to complement classroom instruction.
In Kano, the initiative is expected to strengthen awareness and utilisation of digital learning, while building the capacity of master trainers and technical teams to support schools, teachers and learners in using the platform effectively.
The effective utilisation of the Nigeria Learning Passport is expected to expand access to quality digital learning resources, promote independent learning, strengthen digital literacy and support improved learning outcomes and greater equity in access to educational opportunities.
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