Headlines
Kano Records 875,593 Out-of-School Children, New Survey Reveals
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State has an estimated 875,593 children aged between five and 18 years out of school, according to a new survey presented on Thursday by the Commissioner for Education, Dr Ali Haruna Makoda.
KANO FOCUS reports that the survey, conducted across the state’s 44 Local Government Areas in March 2026, estimated that 13.34 per cent of the 6.56 million children aged five to 18 in Kano are out of school.
The assessment, described as the first statistically representative survey of out-of-school children in Kano in more than a decade, was conducted by the Kano State Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), with funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the Kano State Bureau of Statistics.
Dr Ali Haruna Makoda.
According to the findings, 6,233, representing 86.67 per cent, of the 7,192 children surveyed were enrolled in school, while 959, or 13.34 per cent, were out of school.
Of the out-of-school children identified, 501 had never attended school, while 458 had previously attended but dropped out.
The report revealed significant disparities across the 44 LGAs, with some recording out-of-school rates of 40 per cent or higher, while others recorded rates below five per cent.
Doguwa LGA recorded the highest rate at 40 per cent, followed by Warawa with 34.69 per cent and Gaya with 33.86 per cent.
The report described the situation in the three LGAs as an emergency-level education exclusion crisis requiring immediate intervention.
Parents support education
The survey also challenged the perception that cultural resistance to formal education was a major factor behind the out-of-school children crisis in the state.
It found that 99.6 per cent of caregivers considered children’s education important or very important, with only eight respondents expressing a negative view of education.
The report consequently identified the crisis largely as a service delivery and equity challenge, rather than a problem of parental attitudes towards education.
“Parents want school for their children; the system is failing to make it accessible, affordable, and of sufficient quality to retain children once enrolled,” the report stated.
Multiple factors responsible
The survey identified five broad categories of barriers to school attendance: family and cultural reasons, school-related challenges, child-related factors, other factors, and financial or economic constraints.
Family and cultural factors accounted for 24.2 per cent of responses, followed by school-related reasons at 23.6 per cent, child-related factors at 21.6 per cent, other reasons at 21.4 per cent and financial or economic factors at 12.6 per cent.
The report recommended a coordinated, multi-sectoral response, stressing that no single intervention could adequately address the scale and complexity of the crisis.
The survey further found that boys constituted 54.2 per cent of the out-of-school population, compared with 45.8 per cent for girls.
It linked the higher proportion of boys largely to the Almajiri/Qur’anic education system and casual labour.
The report also revealed that about 90.9 per cent of parents supported equal education for boys and girls.
The findings are expected to serve as a baseline for monitoring Kano State’s progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 on quality and inclusive education through 2030.
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.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described the Hausa people as important pillars of Nigeria’s unity and progress.
KANO FOCUS reports that the President said the Hausa language had grown beyond its traditional boundaries to become a major language of unity and commerce across the world.
Tinubu stated this in a message posted on his verified Facebook account on the occasion of Hausa Day, being celebrated at the historic Daura Palace.
“The Hausa people are great pillars that play a vital role in the unity and progress of Nigeria,” the President said.
He added that “the Hausa language, without doubt, has flourished and has become a major language of unity and commerce across the world.”
The President congratulated the Hausa community on the occasion, describing the celebration at Daura Palace as an important event.
“I congratulate the vast Hausa community on the occasion of Hausa Day, which is being celebrated at the historic Daura Palace today,” Tinubu said.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has urged Muslims across the state and Nigeria to emulate the exemplary life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as they commemorate Maulud.
KANO FOCUS reports that the governor made the call in a statement issued by his spokesman, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Tuesday.
Yusuf congratulated Muslims on the occasion and urged them to use the celebration to reflect on the life and teachings of the Prophet, particularly his virtues of peace, justice, compassion, honesty, patience and tolerance.
He called on Muslims to demonstrate these values in their daily lives while promoting peaceful coexistence, unity and mutual respect among people of diverse backgrounds.
The governor also urged parents, religious leaders and community elders to intensify efforts to educate younger generations on the teachings and exemplary conduct of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Yusuf prayed for continued peace, stability and prosperity in Kano State and Nigeria, while urging residents to support initiatives aimed at improving the wellbeing of citizens.
The governor also used the occasion to pray for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima, wishing them a successful first tenure and a smooth re-election bid in 2027.
He urged Muslims to use the Maulud celebration to pray for peace, progress and unity across the country, and wished the faithful a peaceful and spiritually rewarding celebration.
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