The government of Kano State has disclosed that approximately 4.7 million students in schools throughout the state have been sitting on the floor while learning, ever since Governor Abba Yusuf assumed office on May 29, 2023. Governor Yusuf expressed his dismay at the declining standard of education in the state.

He highlighted that more than 400 schools in Kano only have one teacher responsible for teaching all classes and subjects, adding that these teachers are facing challenges due to outdated and inadequate resources.

Governor Yusuf, while addressing the issue at the Government House during the announcement of a state of emergency concerning education, pledged to recruit 5,000 new teachers into the state civil service in order to revamp the education sector.

He criticized the exploitation and misuse of school facilities for commercial gain, labelling it as a form of attack on public education.

The governor emphasized that the days of students enduring harsh learning conditions such as sitting on the floor are now behind them.

He assured that his administration is committed to completely renovating and providing adequate furniture for public schools in Kano State, thereby improving the learning environment for students.

He highlighted, “More than 4.7 million pupils were sitting on bare floors to take lessons while about 400 schools have only one teacher for all classes and all pupils.

“Rather than building more classrooms and providing basic furniture in the schools, as well as hiring more teachers, the administration we took over from chose to butcher the land belonging to those schools, in some places, demolishing classrooms to create space for shops.

“Those schools that they could not sell, they closed them down and got them vandalised. The encroachment of public school lands and the conversion of these vital institutions into private business premises is an affront to our communal values and a direct assault on our commitment to public education.

“This reckless appropriation of educational spaces for commercial use is unacceptable and must be stopped immediately,” he stated.

The governor restated the commitment of his administration to addressing the precarious state of the education sector, adding, “As your elected governor, entrusted with the solemn responsibility of steering our state towards prosperity and progress, I cannot ignore the glaring reality that confronts us in the realm of education.

“And with education being our number one priority, and believing that education is not only a public good but also the greatest asset that any people can bequeath to its upcoming generation because no people can grow beyond the quality and standard of their education system, we must, therefore, take radical but practical measures to reposition education provisioning in our state.”

He voiced worry about the rising number of children not in school in the state, but assured that his administration has taken necessary measures to tackle the issue and reverse the trend.