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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

Kano has 875,593 out-of-school children – Official

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Context piece
  • Kano State's Ministry of Education reports 875,593 children are out of school, according to a 2026 survey.
  • This figure represents a reduction of 113,641 children compared to previous UNICEF data from 2023.
  • The reduction is attributed to sustained interventions and investments in the education sector, though further coordinated efforts are needed.

Kano State has identified 875,593 children as out of school across its 44 local government areas, according to the Kano State Out-of-School Children Survey Report 2026. This figure was released by the Ministry of Education and disseminated to various stakeholders, including government officials, development partners, and community leaders.

Kano State Out-of-School Children Survey Report 2026, reveals a new verified figure of 875,593 out-of-school children across the state.

— Ministry of Education, Kano StateStating the key finding of the recent survey.

The new verified number shows a decrease of 113,641 children, or 11.5 percent, from the 989,234 out-of-school children recorded in 2023 UNICEF data. Kano State Commissioner for Education, Gwani Dr. Ali Haruna Abubakar Makoda, described this reduction as encouraging evidence of the positive impact of sustained interventions and investments in the education sector.

Despite the progress, Makoda highlighted that the substantial number of children still out of school underscores the necessity for renewed and coordinated efforts. He explained that the 2026 figure is based on a statewide survey providing verified and disaggregated data, unlike previous estimates. This new data will serve as a credible baseline for evidence-based educational planning, policy formulation, resource allocation, and the design of targeted interventions.

The new figure represents a reduction of 113,641 children, equivalent to 11.5 per cent, compared with the 989,234 out-of-school children recorded in the 2023 UNICEF data.

— Commissioner for Education, Kano State, Gwani Dr. Ali Haruna Abubakar MakodaComparing the new data with previous statistics.

The commissioner credited the progress to the Kano State Government's commitment under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, citing increased investment in education, school expansion and construction, provision of learning materials, and free uniform distribution. Strengthening education data management systems and sustained collaboration with UNICEF and other partners were also key components in addressing the challenge.

the number of children still out of school underscored the need for renewed and coordinated efforts.

— Commissioner for Education, Kano State, Gwani Dr. Ali Haruna Abubakar MakodaEmphasizing the ongoing need for action despite recent progress.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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