Kano Govt. Confirms 875,593 Out-of-school Children

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Kano State Government has sent a passionate appeal to parents, traditional, religious and community leaders, development partners, civil society organization and other critical stakeholders to assist in the campaign for school enrollment in the State.

The call came amidst Government’s release on Friday, August 14, a frightening figure of 875,593 out-of-school children in Kano state.

According to a statement from Musbahu Aminu, the spokesperson for the state’s Ministry of Education, the new verified data was made public at a stakeholders meeting on Wednesday, August 12, at which donor organizations, development partner, civil society groups, traditional, religious and community leaders, school administrators, and others were present.

However, the State Commissioner for Education Dr Ali Haruna Abubakar explained that the figure is lower than the earlier figure of 989, 234 out-of-school children captured in the UNICEF data

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

“The Commissioner for Education, Kano State, Dr Ali Haruna Abubakar Makoda ,said 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 .

While describing the marginal reduction as a positive development amidst interventionist and investments measures, he however, appealed for more concerted efforts by stakeholders.

According to him, the high number of out-of-school children still calls for renewed commitment, and coordinated efforts.

He emphasized that while previous figures on out-of-school children were arrived at through conservative national estimates ,the 2026 figure was derived from what he described as ” a statewide verified and disaggregated data based on Local Government Area, age and gender .

This is as the Commissioner insisted that the data would be able to serve as a credible baseline for all future evidence-based educational planning ,policy formulation , resource allocation and the design of targeted interventions to enrol , retain and support children who remain outside the formal education system.

Dr Makoda attributed the modest successes recorded since 2023 to the intentional, pragmatic and sustained measures and efforts of the Kano State Government, through increased investments in the education sector.

He emphasized that the Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf’s-led administration has made tremendous commitments in the expansion , rehabilitation and construction of schools and classrooms , provisions of teaching and learning materials, free uniform and aggressive enrollment drives.