Kano: 10,000 teachers recruited for free education - Ganduje

To boost education in Kano, the state government has recruited over 10,000 teachers in primary and secondary schools.

Speaking at the National Consultative Workshop on the ECOWAS Post-2020 Vision, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said the recruitment would fast-track the implementation of Kano State’s free Compulsory Education programme.

“The recruitment (of teachers) is designed to improve the teacher-pupil ratio, enhance school enrollment and reduce the number of out-of-school children in the state,” he said.

Ganduje, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Musa Yahaya-Bichi, said the recruitment is coming few days after the 44 Local Government Areas of the state got N880 million for the renovation of secondary schools in the councils.

Each of the 44 council chairmen received a check of N20 million and were asked to work together with the ‘education promotion committee,’ which comprised of elders and community leaders that was set up for the renovation purpose.

“The renovation becomes necessary preparatory to the resumption of schools after COVID-19. The renovation is also line with the Kano State educational policy of ‘Compulsory Free Education’ which requires that school facilities must be provided for learning,” he said.

Ganduje said the population of the out-of-school children had dropped to less than 400,000 as against 1.3 million before the introduction of the free compulsory education programme in the state.

He added that the measure was in line with the ECOWAS vision, aimed at achieving sustainable social and economic development in the sub-region.

The head of ECOWAS Unit, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Oyi, said: “We are looking at how education in the region will be harmonised so that we don’t have a disparity in the education certificate. And within the member states, education certificates can be used without problems.

“The workshop is designed to articulate the views of stakeholders on the impact of the ECOWAS Vision 2020.

“This means that all activities of ECOWAS should be people-oriented and people inclusive in its programmes such as education and democracy, among others.”