Stakeholders at an X (formerly Twitter) Spaces discussion have praised the Kano State government’s declaration of a state of emergency on education, saying Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s efforts should inspire similar reforms across northern Nigeria. The conversation, monitored by *Leadership Group* on Thursday, centred on the topic, “Education in Northern Nigeria: Is Kano on the Right Track?”
In June, Governor Yusuf took decisive action to reform Kano’s struggling education system, declaring a state of emergency aimed at addressing critical challenges. Yasmin Muktar, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Education, revealed that the administration inherited a deplorable situation in the sector, with school facilities in disrepair and a lack of resources.
“Schools were like graveyards, and school premises became breeding grounds for reptiles, while infrastructure, resources, and policy frameworks were nothing to write home about,” Muktar said during the discussion.
Participants commended the governor’s swift intervention, with Iorinma Ahmad noting, “Education in northern Nigeria requires urgent attention, and Governor Yusuf has shown genuine commitment to revitalising the sector.” He pointed out that school resumption in Kano was delayed to allow for the implementation of necessary reforms and infrastructure improvements.
Abdullahi Adaki, founder of Arewa Twitter, highlighted the sincerity of the Kano government’s commitment, saying it set it apart from other northern states. Speakers decried the region’s out-of-school crisis and called on other northern governors to follow Kano’s lead to combat the issue.
Mariam Rabiu described the out-of-school situation as a “pandemic” exacerbated by a lack of quality teachers. She lauded the recruitment of 5,000 new teachers under Governor Yusuf’s administration as a key step toward revitalising the education system and providing the manpower needed to deliver quality education in public schools.
The reintroduction of the school feeding programme was also praised by participants, who said it would help increase enrolment and reduce dropout rates. Muktar added that poverty remained a major obstacle to school enrolment in the region, but the provision of free meals and instructional materials has incentivised students to return to school.
Professor Usman Modibbo, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the National Open University of Nigeria, advised Governor Yusuf to solidify his education reforms through legislation to prevent setbacks after his tenure. He also suggested that the education system include component skills to better prepare graduates for employment opportunities.
“For example, allowing microbiology students to study a component course in food technology would equip them with valuable skills,” Modibbo noted.
