Headlines
Kano Recruits 8,588 Teachers to Strengthen Basic Education
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved the recruitment of 8,588 education personnel, including 4,900 permanent and pensionable teachers and 3,688 Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) Cohort V facilitators, as part of efforts to improve the quality of basic education in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the governor officially presented appointment letters to the newly recruited teachers and engaged the BESDA facilitators on Tuesday at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.
A statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mustapha Muhammad, said the recruitment forms part of the administration’s broader education reform agenda aimed at addressing teacher shortages and improving learning outcomes in public schools.
Speaking at the event, Gov Yusuf described the exercise as more than a recruitment programme, saying it represented an investment in the future of millions of children across the state.
“Today is much more than a recruitment exercise. It is about the hopes and aspirations of millions of children whose dreams depend on the quality of education they receive,” the governor said.
He said the newly recruited teachers and facilitators would strengthen the foundation of the state’s education system by ensuring that more children have access to qualified and committed educators.
According to the governor, his administration has recruited more than 13,600 qualified teachers into basic and secondary schools between May 2023 and June 2026 as part of efforts to reposition the education sector.
He added that the government had also supplied instructional materials to schools, trained teachers, provided free school uniforms to pupils and reopened 15 boarding schools within the period.
Gov Yusuf reiterated that education remains a priority of his administration, noting that improving learning outcomes requires sustained investment in qualified teachers and school infrastructure.
The governor commended the Federal Government for its support to the state’s education reforms, particularly through the Federal Ministry of Education under the leadership of the Minister of Education, Maruf Olatunji Alausa.
He also acknowledged the support of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), led by its Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, as well as development partners and private organisations working to improve education in Kano.
In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Mr Alausa, expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded by the Kano State Government in the education sector over the past three years.
He said the achievements reflected the state’s commitment to expanding access to quality education and improving teaching and learning in public schools.
Headlines
Police arrest five over unauthorised distribution of local herbal medicine in Kano
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Police Command has arrested five persons over the alleged unauthorised administration and sale of locally made herbal medicine at a church premises in Kano, warning individuals and organisations against conducting medical outreaches without regulatory approval.
KANO FOCUS reports that the command disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday by its spokesperson, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa.
According to the statement, operatives of the 52 Police Mobile Force (PMF), Chalawa, intercepted six men on August 4 at the ECWA Church located behind the 52 PMF Base in Challawa, following complaints from residents and public outcry over the activity.
The police identified the group’s leader as **Simon Gbaaondo**, 50, from Karu in Nasarawa State.
The suspects were alleged to have been administering unverified locally made medicine free of charge and offering it for sale to large numbers of residents from Panshekara and surrounding communities without approval from the relevant health regulatory authorities.
The police also invited the individual who hosted the group at the church to assist investigators in establishing the circumstances surrounding the exercise.
The case was initially reported at the Panshekara Police Division before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), where five of the suspects are currently undergoing further investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, cautioned members of the public against administering drugs, herbal medicines or conducting medical outreach programmes without authorisation from the Kano State Government, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and other relevant health authorities.
The police said such activities pose serious public health and security risks, particularly when they attract large crowds.
The command urged residents to report any suspicious medical outreach or distribution of unverified medicines to the nearest police station, assuring the public of its commitment to safeguarding lives and maintaining public order.
Police said further details on the investigation would be made available as the case progresses.
Headlines
Kano Assembly passes bill to regulate private school fees
Ibrahim Khalil
The Kano State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to regulate fees charged by private schools and strengthen oversight of private educational institutions across the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the legislation, titled the Kano State Private and Voluntary Institutions Board (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introduces measures aimed at protecting parents from arbitrary tuition fee increases while improving the administration of private schools.
Speaking after the bill was passed on Monday, the House Majority Leader, Alhaji Lawan Hussaini, said the amendment requires all private primary and secondary schools in the state to consult their Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) before implementing any increase in school fees.
He explained that under the new law, any approved fee increment must not exceed 10 per cent of the existing tuition fees.
The Executive Bill, which is awaiting the assent of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, also provides that the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Private and Voluntary Institutions Board must be a retired or experienced educationist who attained at least Grade Level 14 in the public service.
Hussaini further disclosed that private schools would no longer be permitted to charge students more than 10 per cent above the official registration fees prescribed by external examination bodies, including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (NECO), and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).
The amendment also reduces the statutory charges payable by private schools to the Board from 15 per cent to five per cent.
According to the Majority Leader, the provisions are part of broader reforms aimed at streamlining the administration of private schools, promoting transparency, and improving educational standards across Kano State.
The bill will become law upon receiving the assent of Governor Yusuf.
Headlines
Senator Rufa’i Sani Hanga resigns from NDC
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Senator Rufa’i Sani Hanga, who represents Kano Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has resigned his membership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
KANO FOCUS reports that the resignation was conveyed in a letter dated August 3, 2026, and addressed to the Chairman of the NDC in Dakata Ward, Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
In the letter, Hanga said his resignation took immediate effect from Monday, August 3, explaining that the decision followed “careful reflection and personal deliberation.”
He stated that he had decided to withdraw his membership from the party to pursue “other personal commitments and career paths.”
The senator expressed appreciation to the ward leadership, the Ward Executive Committee and members of the party for the opportunities, support and fellowship he enjoyed during his time in the NDC.
“I cherish the relationships built and the experiences shared during our political activities together,” he wrote.
Hanga also requested that his name be removed from the party’s membership register at the ward level and said he had attached his official NDC membership card to the resignation letter.
He wished the party and its members success in their future endeavours.
Meanwhile, the senator’s son, Samir Rufa’i Sani Hanga, shared the resignation letter on his Facebook page on Monday with a brief comment in Hausa.
“Cin amana ya kori Baba daga tafiyar da ya runguma bisa amana,” he wrote.
The statement, which translates roughly as “Betrayal has forced my father out of the political journey he embraced in good faith,” appeared to suggest that issues of trust and loyalty influenced the senator’s decision, although Hanga himself did not cite betrayal as the reason for his resignation in the letter.
KANO FOCUS reports that the senator has yet to announce his next political move or indicate whether he intends to join another political party.
