Author name: Umar Idris Shuaibu

Two years ago, Kano’s schools stood like forgotten relics — classrooms without roofs, children without uniforms, and parents stripped of hope. Fires razed seven schools, teachers abandoned their posts for lack of pay, and entire communities spoke of an education system trapped in chaos. Today, a new story is being written. In a dramatic turnaround, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has not only declared an education emergency but is rolling out what may be the boldest recovery plan in Kano’s history. Read Also: NECO 2025: A Triumph for Kano’s Children, A Challenge for the Future And nowhere was this more visible than at the Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) event held in Kano. When Volunteers Became Teachers For years, thousands of volunteer teachers carried chalk into classrooms without certainty, pay, or recognition. Today, that changed. Governor Yusuf confirmed 4,315 of them as permanent, pensionable staff transforming volunteers into full-fledged civil servants overnight. This is not the first batch. In fact, the Governor had earlier approved the absorption of 5,500 BESDA teachers in 2023, 5,632 in 2024, and 4,000 in May 2025. With the latest addition, a remarkable 19,447 BESDA teachers have now been recruited into the state’s permanent and pensionable workforce — a scale never before seen in Kano’s history. Alongside this, he ordered the recruitment of 2,616 more qualified teachers, an unprecedented mass intake designed to correct Kano’s chronic teacher-pupil imbalance. For many in the hall, it was more than a government announcement; it was dignity restored and a promise fulfilled. Billions for Bricks, Uniforms, and Renewal But the governor’s war on education neglect does not end with teachers. Just days earlier, the state unveiled a ₦4.3 billion intervention fund for schools — a package that reads like a manifesto of renewal: ₦429.9m to clear feeding debts and keep pupils in boarding schools nourished. ₦705.8m to rebuild Government Secondary School, Kwankwaso. ₦1.14bn to provide uniforms for every Primary 1 pupil in the 2025/2026 academic session — a great leveller for rich and poor. ₦1.62bn to restore seven schools gutted by fire. ₦84.1m, ₦254m, and ₦281.8m for renovations in Kawon Alhaji Sani, Giginyu, and Government Girls Secondary School, Badawa. In addition, Governor Yusuf approved ₦3 billion for the reopening and upgrading of boarding schools across the state, a move aimed at restoring a tradition of discipline and quality learning. Through the CRC initiative, thousands of classrooms and new buildings have also been renovated across all 44 Local Government Areas, ensuring safe, modern, and conducive spaces for learning. Earlier this year, Kano also settled over ₦3bn in NECO fees for all eligible SS3 students — lifting a huge financial weight off families and guaranteeing equal opportunity for thousands of children. Results Already Showing The results of these bold steps are beginning to show. In the 2025 NECO examinations, Kano students emerged with the best results in Mathematics and English nationwide. Observers and educationists link this historic achievement to the governor’s decisive interventions — proof that when classrooms are repaired, teachers rewarded, and pupils supported, learning thrives. A Celebration of Hope At the BESDA event, the air was thick with emotion. Teachers ululated, parents shed tears of joy, and civil servants hailed the moment as a turning point in Kano’s education journey. For the first time in years, hope returned to the classrooms. From Empty Coffers to Education Glory When Governor Yusuf assumed office on May 29, 2023, he inherited an education sector in crisis and state coffers that were not only empty but overdrawn, with a debt of just ₦9,000 in one account. Two years later, billions are flowing into schools, thousands of teachers are being recruited, and children who once studied under broken ceilings are now receiving a second chance at learning. Leading a National Revival Kano’s strides are now being hailed across Nigeria as a model of political will and people-centered governance. By combining bold financial commitment, massive teacher recruitment, and direct student support, Governor Yusuf has placed education at the heart of his administration’s legacy. For Kano, long counted among Nigeria’s most troubled in education, this is more than just reform. It is a new dawn for learning — one that promises to inspire generations and position the state as a national leader in education revival. Ibrahim Adam is a Special Adviser on Information to the Kano State Governor.