Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

A delegation from Egypt’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research has visited the Kano State Ministry of Education to explore opportunities for stronger educational collaboration and increased scholarship opportunities for students from the state and Nigeria.

KANO FOCUS reports that the visit, described as the delegation’s first to the Kano State Ministry of Education, was aimed at establishing direct institutional links between Egyptian authorities and the Kano State Government, universities and other educational institutions.

Director of Public Enlightenment at the Kano State Ministry of Education, Musbahu Aminu Yakasai, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.

Speaking during the visit, Professor Ibrahim Muhammad, a member of the Egyptian delegation, said the team was in Kano to identify areas of cooperation in higher education and create opportunities for more Nigerian students to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Egypt.

Muhammad stressed the importance of facilitating scholarship opportunities directly through relevant authorities rather than agents or middlemen, saying this would enable qualified students to access available opportunities more easily.

The leader of the delegation, Professor Ahmad Gani, expressed appreciation for the longstanding relationship between Nigeria and Egypt, saying education could serve as a major avenue for strengthening the ties between the two countries.

He said the delegation had come to Kano to “open the doors and unlock all the possibilities” for collaboration in higher education.

According to him, Egypt offers scholarship opportunities to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, adding that the delegation was committed to working with relevant authorities in Kano to maximise the benefits of the programmes for Nigerian students.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Education, Alhaji Bashir Baffa Muhammad, welcomed the delegation and described the visit as an important step towards strengthening educational cooperation between Kano and Egypt.

He assured the delegation of the ministry’s readiness to support meaningful partnerships that would expand access to quality higher education and international academic exposure for students from the state.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Higher Education Directorate, Alhaji Salahudden Habib Isa, described the visit as timely, particularly given the growing interest among Nigerian students in pursuing higher education opportunities abroad.

Isa disclosed that the state has a standing committee responsible for screening and coordinating students seeking to study in foreign countries, noting that the committee would provide an institutional framework for facilitating and monitoring such opportunities.

The Executive Secretary of the Kano State Scholarship Board, Dr Mukhtar Bello, also welcomed the initiative, assuring the delegation that the state would explore the opportunity for the benefit of its people.

Bello said Kano had many qualified and eligible candidates who could benefit from the scholarship programmes, adding that increased access to international education would contribute to human capital development in the state.

He said the initiative would also complement the education transformation agenda of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration by helping young people acquire knowledge and skills from reputable institutions abroad.

KANO FOCUS reports that the delegation’s visit is expected to pave the way for increased educational exchanges, scholarship opportunities and institutional partnerships between Kano State and Egyptian higher education authorities.

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim

The Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA), Kano State Chapter, has elected Hassan Ibrahim Gama as its new State Coordinator.

KANO FOCUS reports that Gama emerged unopposed during the coalition’s 2026 state election, which was described as peaceful and transparent.

The election was conducted by an election committee chaired by Dr. Auwalu Halilu, who said the exercise marked another milestone in strengthening the coalition’s leadership and its commitment to promoting inclusive and quality education in Kano State.

Other officers elected are Mahdi Abdullahi, Deputy Coordinator; Sunusi Hashim, Secretary; Dr. Abubakar I. Hassan, Assistant Secretary; Ghazali I. U., PRO I; Abdulbaki Mohd, PRO II; and Muhammad Abdullahi, PRO III.

Others are Garba Hamma Dikko, Provost; Rukayya Abdulrahman, Financial Secretary; Saratu Maigida, Treasurer; and Suleiman Zubair, Auditor.

Halilu expressed appreciation to the CSACEFA National Secretariat, represented at the election by its Policy Advisor, Mrs Ordinaka, for the guidance and support provided throughout the electoral process.

He also commended members of the election committee, CSACEFA Kano members and other stakeholders for their cooperation in ensuring the success of the exercise.

The election committee chairman congratulated the newly elected leadership and urged them to build on the achievements of the coalition by strengthening civil society participation, advocacy, accountability and strategic partnerships.

He tasked the new executives with working towards improving education service delivery and advancing the Education for All agenda in Kano State.

The former Kano State Coordinator of CSACEFA, Prof. Muhammad Bello Shitu, and the Kano State Chairman of the School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) Alhaji Tijjani Haladu Baraya, were among the dignitaries who supervised the conduct of the election.

Nura Abdullahi

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has called for the repositioning of Home Economics education as a strategic tool for innovation, entrepreneurship, job creation and sustainable development in Nigeria.

KANO FOCUS reports that the governor made the call at the opening of the 52nd Annual National Conference and Workshop of the Home Economics Teachers Association of Nigeria (HETAN), held in Kano.

In a statement issued by Chief Press Secretary to the Secretary to the State Government Musa Tanko the governor, said the conference theme, “Repositioning Home Economics Education for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development in Nigeria,” was timely and aligned with the country’s aspiration to build a skilled, self-reliant and economically empowered population.

The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Faruk Ibrahim, said Home Economics had evolved beyond traditional household management to encompass food and nutrition, fashion, textiles, hospitality, family resource management and entrepreneurship.

Yusuf urged stakeholders to reposition the discipline from being viewed merely as an academic subject to a practical platform for skills development, innovation, enterprise and wealth creation.

He stressed that graduates should be equipped not only to seek employment but also to create jobs.

The governor also called for the integration of digital technology, artificial intelligence, e-commerce and modern production techniques into Home Economics education.

According to him, technical skills must be complemented with entrepreneurship, branding, financial management, digital marketing and access to markets to enable graduates turn their knowledge into viable businesses.

He urged HETAN to strengthen collaboration among educational institutions, industries, financial institutions, government agencies and development partners to provide modern equipment, practical training, mentorship, internships and opportunities for young people.

On environmental sustainability, Yusuf said Home Economics could provide practical solutions to challenges such as food waste, environmental degradation, rising household costs and climate change.

He identified responsible consumption, recycling, energy conservation, sustainable food practices and environmentally friendly production as areas where the discipline could contribute to sustainable development.

The governor also called for urgent and collective action against drug addiction among young people, describing the menace as a serious threat to the nation’s future.

He said the challenge required coordinated efforts involving government, families, schools and society.

Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to initiatives promoting skills acquisition, employability, entrepreneurship and innovation.

He noted that Kano’s longstanding traditions of commerce, craftsmanship, textile production, tailoring and food processing provided a strong foundation for linking education with modern enterprise and technology.

He charged participants to go beyond adopting resolutions and develop practical strategies capable of producing measurable impacts in schools, communities and the wider Nigerian economy.

Earlier, the National President of HETAN, Mrs Onothoja Evelyn, commended the Kano State Government for providing a hospitable environment for participants from across the country.

She said HETAN had grown beyond an association focused solely on teaching Home Economics, noting its relevance to hospitality, healthcare, fashion, food and beverages, entrepreneurship and the general wellbeing of society.

Evelyn said the conference theme and sub-themes were selected to address contemporary challenges, proffer solutions and contribute to policy formulation suited to Nigeria’s peculiar needs.

The conference also featured a welcome address by the Chairperson of HETAN, Kano Chapter, Hajiya Halima Abubakar.

Among dignitaries at the event were the Accountant General of Kano State, Hajiya Jamila Magaji Abdullahi, who represented the First Lady of Kano State; the Permanent Secretary, Kano Educational Resource Department, Hajiya Rabi Inuwa Hussain; Dr Zainab Shehu Hussain; and HETAN executives from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The conference is expected to strengthen professional collaboration and generate practical ideas for repositioning Home Economics education as a catalyst for skills development, entrepreneurship, job creation, improved livelihoods and sustainable national development.