ON October 5, members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) came together to mark the 2024 World Teachers’ Day. For once, they had inspiring stories to tell rather than lamenting about the state of education in the country and the poor welfare of teachers. Yes, it is true the education sector has continued to grapple with many challenges including neglect by various governments at the federal, state and local government levels, the inadequate funding and lack of infrastructure, but the teachers had something to celebrate. At the Eagle Square in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where the NUT held an award ceremony, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State was singled out for his commitment to transforming the education sector in the state. In a ceremony organised by teachers in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, the governor was handed the prestigious NUT Golden Award. Governor Yusuf was not the only state executive honoured by the NUT during the ceremony. Other governors recognised include those of Borno, Oyo, Benue, Enugu, and Kebbi states. But the transformation in the education sector that the Kano governor has been able to engineer in such a short time is what makes his story unique, winning accolades from parents, students and now teachers.
The efforts have also not gone unnoticed by the federal government and international partners who have joined hands with Governor Yusuf to change the face of education in Kano and give its youths a brighter future. Highlighting some of the governor’s remarkable strides in the education sector, the teachers paid special attention to his administration’s allocation of 29.9 percent of Kano’s 2024 budget to education and his recent declaration of a state of emergency on education leading to sector improved infrastructure and access to quality education. Comrade Titus Ambe, NUT National Chairman, had a lot of praise for Governor Yusuf during the occasion with the governor further committing to investing in the sector. Among those that have congratulated Governor Yusuf are President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume at the ceremony and former Kano State Governor and National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
In a message on the social media platform, X, Kwankwaso commended Governor Yusuf for his unwavering dedication to revitalising Kano’s education system, describing the governor as a game changer. While urging Governor Yusuf to strengthen his commitment toward achieving his broader goals in education reform, Kwankwaso also encouraged him to remain steadfast. For the governor, however, the recognition has been long in coming. He recently declared a state of emergency on education, which was quickly followed by an education recovery conference that brought together policymakers, stakeholders in the education sector and development partners to chart a way forward. At the recovery conference held at Bayero University recently, Governor Yusuf said his government, since coming into office, had spent over N2bn to acquire and distribute instructional materials to basic and post-basic schools across the state. The conference was held in collaboration with the UKAid, PLANE Nigeria, and Arewa Consultative Forum with the theme, ‘Repositioning Education in Kano state: Navigating the Path to Excellence. He said, “We have approved the release of over N2.7bn for the construction of the first phase of 176 classrooms and 88 offices across the 44 local governments. We have also approved and released N1.9 billion for the renovation and upgrade of 220 schools. We have also completed the construction of 336 new classrooms. His government has also recruited some 5,623 teachers through the BESDA initiative and plans to recruit 4,000 more to boost primary schools in the state.
During the recovery conference, he said “Education is not merely a pathway to individual success but is a collective societal progress, economic development and prosperity. It is our duty as custodians of public trust to ensure that every child in Kano receives a quality education that will prepare them for challenges and the opportunities of the 21st century.” Our goal, he went on, “is to identify optional strategies and policies that will enable us to overcome the existing challenges and build an inclusive and responsive education system in the state. Our vision is critical. It is crystal clear and we are deeply committed to the attainment of the objectives of the declaration. “We intend to achieve the following; make every school a good school, every child enrolled in school, every student engaged and an engaged learner, every teacher a caring educator, every parent a dedicated partner, every community a committed stakeholder and the government, a committed investor in human capital development.” Last month, LEADERSHIP Newspaper hosted X Spaces on the state of education in the north. The efforts and achievements of Governor Yusuf featured prominently in the discussions by stakeholders in the education sector and Arewa youth groups active on social media.
A number of students who are recipients of scholarship awards from the Kano State Government also gave testimony to the effects of the governor’s policy and the impact on their lives. The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Women Education, Yasmin Mukhtar also participated in the X Spaces conversation.
According to her, the state government is not simply taking girls off the streets, where they are harassed and intimidated, it is actually creating a safe and secure environment for them to be in school. And that is one reason the state governor reopened girls boarding schools that were closed by the Ganduje administration. During the X Spaces conversation, stakeholders commended some of the remarkable achievements of Abba Kabir that were recognised by the NUT with its Golden Award.
These include spending ₦2.7bn for construction of 176 classrooms and 88 offices across 44 local governments, releasing ₦1.9bn for the renovation and upgrade of 220 schools, constructing 336 new classrooms and reopening 15 girls’ secondary schools previously shut down. It is a long list that has on it; the feeding of pupils, distributing school uniforms and offering foreign scholarships to undergraduates. Not left out is the training and welfare of teachers.
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