Gov. Yusuf declares state of emergency on education

…Reveals plans to build 300 labs, hire additional 10,000 teachers

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State on Saturday declared a state of emergency on education in the state.

The declaration took place at Open Arena, Kano Government House, Kano on Saturday.

The Governor said the Kano educational landscape, once a beacon of hope and opportunity for the youth and an example for other states to copy, now stands shrouded in the shadows of unacceptable neglect and decay.

“The problems are multi-faceted: we face a severe shortage of qualified teachers, inadequate teacher training programs, and a lack of basic amenities such as clean water and sanitation in many of our schools.

“These issues, coupled with the socio-economic challenges that many of our students face, create an environment where education is not just difficult, but nearly impossible,” he regretted.

The Governor said an additional 300 state-of-the-art laboratories in 100 schools across the state. The provision of these facilities, he said, will provide the students with hands-on experience in scientific inquiry, fostering a culture of experimentation and discovery that is essential for their future success.

In order to create a more conducive atmosphere for learning, You announced the construction of 1000 classrooms across the State within the next academic session.

“This measure will, no doubt, mitigate classroom congestion that has become a common feature of most of our schools.

“We have also directed that all contractors handling inherited abandoned projects in our tertiary institutions should go back to site immediately,” he said.

As part of the emergency action, the Governor approved the hiring of additional 10,000 teachers, adding that teachers will enjoy periodic training and retraining so as to achieve the vision of making “every teacher, a caring educator.”

“At least 1,000 Academic and non-academic staff will be employed into tertiary institutions,” he said.

Yusuf said, “This declaration is not just symbolic; it signifies a commitment to overhaul our education system from the ground up. We will invest in infrastructure, ensuring that every school has adequate classrooms conducive to teaching and learning.

“We will also prioritise teacher training and welfare, recognising their pivotal role in shaping the minds of tomorrow.”